The Portal
by louloucn
Summary: Angel and Cordy admit their love and Groo decides to go back to Pylea. However, as Groo screws up the chant for the portal, Angel and Cordy are accidentally sucked into a portal taking them back in time to relive events of the past.
1. Default Chapter

Chapter 1  
  
"Dear Princess, thank you for a lovely evening."  
  
" Thanks Groo. I had a great time too."  
  
It really was a nice evening, Cordy thought to herself. They had gone to a fancy Italian restaurant and although Groo had been confused with the etiquette of table manners and was still getting mixed up over the word cow (he still couldn't believe, after much persistence, that they weren't `cows' and that it really referred to the `strange animal that provided milk'), however, looking at him now, everything seemed fine. Earlier that day, they had gotten a total makeover and as she gave him another lookover, he really looked... normal. He was dressed in leather pants and a dark blue shirt and had gotten rid of his long stringy hair and replaced it with a short cut, with the ends held up by tons of gel. Hey it kinda reminded her of...  
  
"Are you sure Princess that you don't want me to accompany you home?"  
  
"Huh?", as Cordy snapped her attention back to Groo.  
  
"I said, are you sure Princess that you want me to leave you here at the hotel instead of taking you to your abode?"  
  
" That's okay Groo. I want to check up on Connor upstairs and I'll go home later. Don't worry about me, Groo. Just go up to your room. I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
As she was about to go up the stairs, Groo suddenly reached out and grabbed her hand.  
  
"Princess, before you depart, may you give me the honour of giving you a goodnight kiss?" As he spoke, he kissed her hand very gently.  
  
Cordy gave him a small smile.  
  
"Of course. Come here." She gave him a sexy look and motioned him to come closer to her. "Hey, don't be shy. Come closer."  
  
Groo walked slowly towards her and stood very close to her. His hands wrapped around her waist, as Cordy wrapped her arms around his neck.  
  
As his face was inches away from her face, suddenly she got a flash.  
  
{-You want me to make love to you right here?  
  
-You know I do.}  
  
"What's a matter Princess?"  
  
Cordy shook her head. " Nothing. Just kiss me."  
  
Once again, Groo closed in to give her a ...  
  
{ -You don't know him. He has power.  
  
-The power to do this?}  
  
Cordy closed her eyes , sighed and moaned quietly at the memory.  
  
"Princess?"  
  
"Mmm..what?"  
  
"What are you thinking about Princess?"  
  
"No, me? I wasn't thinking about anything. Why don't you just kiss me already!"  
  
This time, instead of waiting for him to kiss her, this time, she just grabbed his face and forced him to kiss her.  
  
~You have to stop thinking about him,~ she said to herself. ~Stop thinking about the broody guy upstairs!~  
  
However, as Groo was kissing her, she just couldn't help but compare his kissing with that certain someone upstairs.  
  
~Damn! Why can't I stop thinking about him? So what if he made me moan and got me hot that one time? It wasn't us. We were possessed!~  
  
However, her mind started to drift to thinking about how Angel's hands had touched and swept over her whole body and how he had made her tingle all over. Then there were his kisses, overwhelming and passionate. She could still feel the heat of them now, as if they could still warm her neck, her tummy, her thighs. Even though she knew that it wasn't them and that it was just the room, the moment, the spirits, Cordy couldn't help but think of that one moment had completely overwhelmed her thoughts these days and how in the back of her mind, she didn't completely believe that it was all about the lovers' spirits, but real feelings as well.  
  
~No, hey snap back into reality Cordy! Here you are with a perfectly nice guy who completely head over heels with you and all you can think about is Angel, someone you can never have because of the `perfect happiness, turn all evil' business, not to mention the B-word. Can't you enjoy this moment please? Remember, don't blow this or it's back to ghost with loofah for the rest of your life!~  
  
"Thank you Princess. That was wonderous!" Groo had finally broke away. " You have made me so happy!" Groo gushed with a huge smile on his face and held her in the tightest embrace.  
  
"Groo, a little air please!" Cordy pleaded as she tried to gasp for air.  
  
"I'm sorry, my dear Princess. I shall go now. Sweet dreams, my love." And then, he hopped two steps at a time up the stairs, feeling as though he was the luckiest man on earth.  
  
Cordy just gave a sigh, and walked calmly up the stairs towards Angel's room to visit Connor.  
  
***************  
  
* knock, knock *  
  
"Angel?" Cordy whispered as she peek her head through the doorway.  
  
"Cordy?" Angel said sleepily. "What are you doing here? * yawn *" He was standing by Connor's crib, his head resting on one hand as he leaned on the side of the crib.  
  
"I just wanted to see how Connor was doing before I went home. How is our little baby?"  
  
"Our little baby's been a good little boy and is fast asleep now. "Angel softly replied. "How was your date with what's his face? Did you have a nice time?"  
  
Cordy removed her high heels, tiptoed closer towards the crib and stood by Angel's side, admiring the sweet child fast asleep. "Oh, it was alright. Even though Groo was a little confused at first with some things, I think he got the hang of dinner etiquette at the end. Even managed to use a fork at the end."  
  
" * Yawn * That's good."  
  
"Angel, why don't you just go to bed now? It's awfully late and you've should have been in bed long ago. Go to sleep big guy! Tomorrow, you're going to have a huge day ahead of you with the chasing of demons and not to mention the baby cries and the diaper changing. You need your rest."  
  
"I'm not tired * Yawn *" Angel protested, but still was careful not to raise his voice in case Connor would wake up. " Honestly I'm not. Can't we talk a little more? I wanna hear more about your embarrassing night with you know who. I wanna hear about how he messed up dinner!"  
  
"He didn't mess up dinner! He's just having a kinda hard time adjusting with the whole `let's use utensils' deal. I mean, he's been living in another dimension all this time. Cut him some slack will ya?"  
  
"Fine." Angel reluctantly replied. "We can talk about something else."  
  
"No Angel. I'm tired too. I think I'll just go home now and go to sleep. It's late for me too."  
  
"Are you sure? Can't you stay around for a little while longer?"  
  
"I don't think so. Here you are, practically asleep already, while my feet have been killing me since I got back from dinner." Cordy whispered. " We can talk tomorrow Angel. Goodnight!" Then she tiptoed away from the crib and started walking towards the door.  
  
"Goodnight Cordy!" Angel answered.  
  
As Cordy was about to reach for the door handle, Angel whispered out "Hey Cordy?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You look...I mean, you look really pretty tonight."  
  
Cordy smiled. "Thanks Angel." She started to turn the doorknob.  
  
"Hey Cordy?"  
  
"Yes Angel?"  
  
"Cordy... I love you."  
  
***************  
  
Her heart just stopped. Cordy quickly turned her head to face Angel. "What did you just say?"  
  
"Cordy... * sigh * I said I love you."  
  
"You mean as a friend right?"  
  
"No..." Angel said slowly. "I mean, I love you as a friend of course, but it's more than that. I really mean... I love you."  
  
Cordy stood there, dead in her tracks, still letting those words sink into her brain. "You must be joking. Are we being possessed again?"  
  
"No... I not joking. I am being really serious and it's not the spirits talking. It's me. Angel. Telling you, Cordy, that I'm in love with you."  
  
"You can't be! It's not possible! What about Buff.."  
  
"This is not about Buffy. This is about you and me here. I really am in love with you."  
  
"How can you not think this isn't about Buffy! She was the love of your life, the woman that you will love for the rest of your life! How can you possibly be in love with me when you can never, ever be over her?"  
  
Angel started to walk towards her, trying desperately to piece together his own thoughts. "Buffy's out of my life now. I mean, I did love her and she was the first person I had ever loved in my whole life, but now I love you! Why can't you believe it?"  
  
"Because we all know how much she meant to you and how you guys were the big LOVE and if it wasn't for the curse, you would still be in Sunnydale right now with her. But because of the `if I have one moment of happiness, I'll turn all evil' thing, you are here with me."  
  
"And I am glad for it. Cordy, it's been three years since we both left Sunnydale and we are totally different people. I sometimes think I can't even recognize the person I was then, nevertheless you, Cordy. We've gotten to know each other over the last few years and although we don't always get along, and we've seen the bad and the good, we grew together and have become best friends. I don't belong with Buffy. I belong here with you and Connor."  
  
"You're only thinking about this because of the thing that happened at the ballet a week ago, aren't you? We were possessed, Angel. It wasn't rea..."  
  
"It was to me. "Angel interjected. "That was what I was trying to tell you all week. I know you kept insisting that it wasn't us in that room and that we could just forget about it, but what I was trying to tell you was that I can't forget. Kissing you... it's not something I can just forget. When we kissed, I felt like I was alive again. And I know it was partly because of the ghosts, but I wanted to kiss you. And for me, it didn't take a lot of convincing to kiss you."  
  
"Then why did you not want to go back into the room again, if you wanted to kiss me so badly?"  
  
"Because I knew that if we started kissing again, I knew that I wouldn't be able to stop. I wouldn't be able to control myself, and then things would get out of hand, get inserted or all groiny... I couldn't risk that. And I still didn't stop it. I mean, you know it yourself. You were practically... you know, naked, and if it wasn't for the lackeys, who knows what would have happened!"  
  
"Oh." Silence then filled the room.  
  
"Cordy, please say something." Angel pleaded.  
  
"Angel...I don't know what to say."  
  
"Oh come on. I've never known you for being at a lack of words." Angel answered, trying desperately to lighten the mood.  
  
"ANGEL.."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Why did you decide to tell me now? Why couldn't you have told me before?"  
  
"Well, I was in the middle of trying to tell you when what's his face..."  
  
"Groo."  
  
"Groo, yes Groo,"Angel answered with a growl. " came out of nowhere searching for his `true love', and you ran up and kissed him. What was I supposed to do?"  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
" Cordy, it doesn't matter now. I just wanted to tell you now because I wanted you to know and... I'm scared of losing you." Angel answered, with his head lowered.  
  
"Angel," Cordy finally walking closer to Angel. "You know that's not true."  
  
"How do you know? I almost lost you so many times with the vision thing and the coma thing, so how can I be sure that this Groo thing won't just take you away from me?"  
  
"Because I promised that I will be by your side until you shanshu, remember?" Cordy answered softly, lifting and stroking his face. "You know I would never go back on my word and leave my champion." Cordy smiled.  
  
"But what if Groo wants to take you back to Pylea with him so that you can be his princess? I mean, I know how much you loved being a princess in that world and having everyone adore you. And I don't... I don't have anything to offer you..."  
  
"Angel, it's true I loved being a princess and * sigh * sometimes, I do wish that I could go back to Pylea because I miss it..." Cordy answered as Angel's face began to fall once again, " But being a princess is not all it's cracked up to be....and... I wouldn't be with you."  
  
Angel's face start to rise again and a look of hope just swept over his face.  
  
"Do you mean that?"  
  
"Of course, you big lug! Don't you get it when I'm trying to tell you that I love you too?" Cordy answered, pretending really hard not to crack a smile and trying to look peeved.  
  
"Yeah, silly me." Angel smiled, with the biggest grin right across his face. "You know that it won't be easy."  
  
"Yeah, I know." Cordy replied, as she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, as he in turn, wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'm gonna just have to tolerate your off-key lullabies and your love for that old guy in that Ten Commandments movie."  
  
"Hello? Charleton Heston is the man! Anyways, you're not always easy either, with your non-Ballet watching , your snoring and not to mention drooling ways."  
  
"Hey! I thought you didn't care about the drool! At least I'm not a ennuch!"  
  
"Take that back! I told you I'm not a ennuch!"  
  
"Why do you always have to be so overdramatic!" Cordy started to whisper again. "You're going to wake up the baby!"  
  
"Hey! It's your fault anyways! And I'm not being overdr..."  
  
"Oh shut up and kiss me."  
  
"Wha..oh." and then he planted firmly his lips on hers.  
  
"Mmm...Angel?"Cordy asked, as she tried to talk in mid-kiss.  
  
"Yeah?" Angel answered, still dazed over the kissing.  
  
"Can I stay over?"  
  
"Why do you even have to ask?" Angel replied, as he shut the light off.  
  
***************  
  
So Groo...you do understand, right? I mean, you are a perfect gentleman and everything a girl could ask for, but... I love Angel." Cordy tried to explain as she was talking to Groo inside the lobby.  
  
"Yes, my princess, I understand. I am somewhat hurt by your choice, but I can understand that you could love Angel. Angel is a warrior as well."  
  
"Thank you Groo. You will make another girl happy someday." Cordy smiled.  
  
"I hope so."  
  
"So what will you be doing now?" Cordy asked.  
  
"I think I will return to Pylea and settle down with a nice co.. I mean human girl." Groo answered, kinda embarrassed by his mistake.  
  
"That's good. I guess we should take you to Caritas so that you can travel back through a portal back to Pylea." Cordy answered.  
  
"Yes back to Pylea." Angel suddenly interjected, as he appeared out of nowhere. "Don't you miss your home, sweet home?"  
  
"Very much so." Groo admitted." Angel, you are a very considerate...person and you are so fortunate to have won the heart of my dear Princess."  
  
"Yes... thanks"Angel replied, not knowing really what to say, but wishing that he could get rid of Groo as soon as possible.  
  
"Umm.. Groo?" Cordy asked.  
  
"Yes, Princess?" Groo answered eagerly.  
  
"I think you can call me Cordy now."  
  
"Oh. Cor-dy. I understand Princess."  
  
***************  
  
Angel, Cordy, Groo, Wes, Fred and Gunn were all at Caritas later that day to wish Groo farewell. Angel and Cordy were locked hand in hand, as Fred and Gunn kept making goo goo eyes at each other the whole time, and Wes, feeling out of place, started to talk to Groo.  
  
"Are you sure you remember the words to open the portal?"Wes asked, " Because, I have the book right here if you need it."  
  
"That is alright. I have a very good memory. I NEVER forget anything." Groo answered with every surety in the world.  
  
Cordy turned towards Groo, as she bid him goodbye. "Groo, thank you for everything. I'll miss you a lot, and I won't forget how good a person you are."  
  
"Thank you fair Prince... I mean Cordy for your kindness and beauty. I shall never forget your loving face." And with that, he gave Cordy a kiss on the cheek, much to Angel's chagrin.  
  
"Bye Groo!" Fred exclaimed. "You'll find someone someday with whom you'll have kyerumption with!"  
  
"Bye!" Gunn yelled out. "Yeah, get yourself another chick!"  
  
"yeah, yeah, bye." Angel reluctantly mumbled out, as Cordy nudged him in the ribs. "Hey, I said bye to him."  
  
"Are you ready Groo? " Wesley asked.  
  
"Yes I am." Groo replied.  
  
"Then commence the chant."  
  
"Alright. Krpmpt bklptf difbmpt dflmpbmt... or was it...?"  
  
It was too late, as a flash of light appeared and suddenly blinded all of them.  
  
WHOOSH!  
  
"Okay, that was weird." Wes answered.  
  
"Totally weird." Fred replied.  
  
"Ditto." Gunn replied.  
  
"What does the word `weird' mean?" Groo asked. "I don't understand the meaning of that word."  
  
"Well weird means..."Wes explained, and then suddenly realizing the presence of Groo. "What are you still doing here?"  
  
"I'm not sure. I think that I made a mistake in one of the words, I am not sure, but.." Groo replied.  
  
"What? I thought you said that you memorized the lines!" Wes yelled.  
  
"I did, but I kind of made a blunder. It is not a problem is it? We can try it once more." Groo answered.  
  
"That's not the point! The point is you said..."Wes continued to yell.  
  
"Mmm, Wesley?" Fred tapped him on the shoulder.  
  
"What Fred?" Wes suddenly calming down to face his `love'.  
  
"Angel and Cordy aren't here." Fred tried to explain.  
  
"What do you mean that they're not here?" Wes asked, completely perplexed.  
  
"What I mean is both Charles and I have been looking around, and Angel and Cordy are gone! They've disappeared." As Fred tried to explain once more.  
  
"Wes, she's right." Gunn explained," After that crazy flash of light, I looked around and they are gone! They've just disappeared."  
  
"Oh my God!" Wes exclaimed, whipping open the magic book frantically. As he searched through the pages of the book, he suddenly looked up at Groo, drops the book and pounced on Groo, throwing him roughly to the ground. "What were the words that you used?"  
  
"I am not sure." Groo replied, completely taken aback by Wes' actions.  
  
"You are not sure???!!!" Wes yelled, in complete rage as he took Groo by the collar. "Well, think harder because if you can't remember, then your head will be meeting my fists."  
  
"Hey Wes, let me get at him first. I'd like to pound his face first!" Gunn interjected, as he jump over to join in the group pounding.  
  
"WES! CHARLES! STOP IT! STOP IT, ALL OF YOU!" Fred yelled out at the top of her lungs, as all of them froze in their places. "Can't you see what's more important here?! Angel and Cordy are missing! We've got to find out where they are!"  
  
"Yes, Fred's right." Wes replied, collecting himself, stood calmly up and dusted himself off. "We've got to find them."  
  
"But where are they?" Gunn asked. " Are they in Pylea? Cuz if they are, I am ready as you are to jump into a car and save them again."  
  
"I don't think they are." Wes replied. "Since what's his name over there, screwed up the chant, they couldn't possibly be in Pylea. And... since he can't remember what words he used, we have no way of knowing what dimension they are in. As well, as you may remember from our last mishap with portals, they weren't securely binded together like we were in the car when we came to rescue Cordy so they both arrived alone."  
  
"So what you're saying is that we have no idea where Angel and Cordy are and that they aren't even together?" Fred asked, realizing the gravity of the situation.  
  
"That's exactly right." Wes grudgingly replied. "They are lost and completely alone."  
  
***************  
  
Cordy's eyes opened. All she could remember was the evil, blinding light and holding Angel's hand. However, as she opened her eyes, this was not the place that she expected to be. ~Angel?~ , she thought, but all that she could muster up was this:  
  
"Oh crap!"  
  
*******************  
  
Chapter 2  
  
"Oh crap!" Cordy exclaimed.  
  
"Hey! That was not crap! That was some quality music by my boyfriend up there!" Willow exclaimed, clearly not pleased with Cordelia's sudden outburst.  
  
"Yeah, Cordy! Give Oz some slack, will ya! I mean, he's almost finished his set!" Xander nudged, giving her a look asking her to be gentle. I mean, everyone has already been bugging him about his reasons why he was dating her in the first place, he certainly didn't need for her to be in bitchy mode.  
  
~Oh, I am so in the Twilight Zone here!~ Cordy thought to herself, rubbing her index and middle fingers to her temples. ~This is just a dream! It's all a dream! Just wake up Cordy and then you'll be back in Angel's arms again and all of this will be gone! ~  
  
"Hey Cordy? Are you alright?" Xander asked, with a sudden tone of concern.  
  
"Yeah...I'm alright. I think I am getting a headache that's all. Let me get out my mirror." Cordy replied. With that, she pulled out her mirror and gasped at the sight she saw. Dressed in a dark brown short dress with spagetti straps and a sparkly matching wraparound sweater around her shoulders, she was having a major déjà vu all of a sudden. And her hair, which was short, was once again dark, long and flowing. It was as if she was in high school again.  
  
"I look like I'm seventeen again!" Cordy exclaimed in horror.  
  
"Well, Cordelia, you ARE seventeen." Xander replied, while giving her a questioning look that wondered `What the hell is wrong with you?'.  
  
"Yes, that's right. I've completely forgot. Silly me!" Cordy answered, trying to look as calm as possible. ~Cordy, just wake up now! This is a terrible dream that you have invented yourself! It is as though you have gone back to high scho...~  
  
"Oz! Hey! Have a seat..."Willow said, with a smile on her face. " Except, we don't have any seats."  
  
"It's okay. I'll just scrunch in." Oz replied.  
  
Willow then proceeds to nudge over a bit to make room for Oz at the  
  
table, and bumps into Xander. She looks at him nervously.  
  
Cordy notices all of this. ~Hey, why is this scene so damn famil...~ all of a sudden, Xander scoots over a bit as well, nudging up hard against Cordelia.  
  
"Xander, why are you giving me a lap dance? [I can't believe I just said that!]" Cordy proclaimed.  
  
"What? I just like you."Xander explained, with a nervous look on her face.  
  
"And that's very beautiful. I think it's great..."  
  
As Willow continued to talk, Cordy started to realize what had happened. This was a complete déjà vu because it really did happen! Angel, where are you? Cordy thought to herself. Please be here and save me! All she could figure was that this whole trek back through time had to do with that blinding light when Groo recited his chant because that was all she could remember of before. Now, she was stucked dealing with Willow and Xander doing their stammering routine as they busily trying to cover up their affair. ~Damn! Of all time in my life that I have to replay again, it had to be this moment! ~ Then her thoughts went to Oz. ~Poor Oz, he has no idea what is up with the two of them.~ Cordy started to sympathize. ~At least he'll find out eventually and Willow and Oz are still tog...~  
  
All of a sudden, Xander spills his drink all over the place and pushes Cordy over in the process.  
  
"Why are you guys so hyper?" Cordy suddenly asked, even though she already knew the answer ~It's because you two just couldn't keep your hormones in check and now Xander's even more of a moron than usual! ~  
  
"Hey! Speaking of people and things they do that aren't like usual, anyone notice Buffy acting sort of different?" Willow asked, trying desperately to change the subject.  
  
"Let's see, uh, killing zombies... uh, torching sewer monsters, and... No, that's pretty much the, uh, (grins weakly) same old Buffster." Xander concluded.  
  
"Well, I just mean, you know, she's off by herself a lot more, and she's kind of... distracted." Willow explained, finding herself more and more concerned for Buffy.  
  
"Think maybe she has a new honey?" Cordy suggested. ~Of course she has a honey. His name's Angel...oh my God, I remember now! They don't even know that Angel is back again! ~  
  
"A boyfriend? Why wouldn't she tell us?" Willow asked.  
  
"...we're the best of Buffy's bestest buds. She'd tell us." Xander joined in.  
  
~Of course she wouldn't tell you. You wouldn't have approved of him anyways. Just ask Bu..~  
  
"Tell you what?" Buffy exclaimed, showing up out of nowhere and surprising the hell out of everybody.  
  
"About your new boyfriend, who we made up. Unless we didn't?" Willow asked questionly.  
  
"This was a topic of discussion?" Buffy answered surprisingly.  
  
"Well, raised, but never discussed." Oz assured her.  
  
"So, are you dating somebody or not?" Cordy asked, although she didn't understand why she was asking the question when she already knew the answer. She just felt, I don't know, compelled, to ask the redundant question.  
  
"I wouldn't use the word 'dating', but I am going..."  
  
As Buffy continued to speak, Cordy started to remember exactly what was going to happen that night. Faith would appear and they would both go off to slayer training with Giles. ~I need to find Angel. Hopefully, he'll be okay, and we'll be able to figure this out together. ~  
  
"...time to motorvate." Faith exclaimed rushing Buffy.  
  
"Really, we're just good friends." Buffy assured her friends as she followed Faith's lead to leave.  
  
"Yeah, I have to leave too." Cordy said suddenly.  
  
"What? We just got here? We're on a date here!" Xander argued, as he waited in anticipation for another one of Cordelia's complaint rants.  
  
"I'm really sorry Xander. I am having a major migraine here, and I am feeling sort of sick. Can we please have a raincheck on the date, and I'll make it up to you, okay" Cordy explained gently.  
  
"Oh my gosh, are you okay? Do you want me to take you home." Xander asked, completely taken aback by Cordy's gentle explanation, and was beginning to feel some concern for his girlfriend.  
  
"Xander, I'll be alright." Cordy answered sweetly, kissing him on the cheek. "I'll just walk home by myself and get some rest. You just continue enjoying yourself with Willow and Oz here. I'll be fine, okay? I'll see you in school tomorrow! Bye Willow! Bye Oz!"  
  
"Bye Cordelia..." they all replied, with a certain feeling of bewilderment at the change in attitude in Cordelia. Instead of answering them with a witty, yet biting remark, she had just gently excused herself and left.  
  
***************  
  
~Why did I wear these shoes in the first place?~ Cordy asked herself as she was running like her life depended on it towards Angel's place, desparate to get there.  
  
Completely frustrated with the heels, she pulled them and carried them with her as she ran like mad.  
  
When she got there, she just took a deep breath and walk into the place.  
  
"Angel? * huff, huff* Are you here?" Cordy asked out into the empty space as she was still out of breath from her crazy trek. ~Please answer the way that I want you to....~  
  
"Cordy? Is that you?" Angel replied, showing himself from out of the shadows.  
  
"Did you say `Cordy' Angel, or was I am imagining things?" Cordy asked him, unsure of her own hearing ability.  
  
"Of course I said Cordy! What else would I call you?" Angel answered, completely bewildered but with a smile on his face.  
  
" Oh THANK GOD!" Cordy exclaimed as she ran towards him, jumped into his arms, and wrapped her legs around him, toppling them both onto the white couch.  
  
"Ouch!" Angel replied laughingly, " I missed you too!"  
  
" No, I really, really missed you!" Cordy answered, now covering his face and neck with as many kisses as she could. "I thought that I'd lost you and I was stuck in this nightmarish time warp all by myself!"  
  
" No, you're stuck with me forever." Angel answered with a chuckle. "But you know, I wish that you could get into hysterics more often as I am really liking this!"  
  
"Oh shut up! I am not going crazy! This place just screams `ee! Scary!'... I mean, I am seventeen again, and you know how much I hated that time in my life. I mean, everyone thinks of me as the `rich bitch from Sunnydale' and we just happen to fall upon the time when Xander's been sneaking around behind my back and everyone's in the dark about you coming back from hell!" Cordy explained with much frustration.  
  
"Oh, so that is the time were sent back to? I was wondering that, but I couldn't find a newspaper anywhere, and even if I did know the date, I don't think I would have remembered that no one knew about me at this time... I mean it was a confusing time for me with me and Buff.."  
  
"Okay, Angel, we don't really need to talk about your tough times with Buffy, cuz hello? I was there too!" Cordy replied, "What is important is finding a way out of this time warp because I am definitely not digging this `Blast from the Past' deal with the reminiscing and such. And to think I had escaped all of this `Sunnydale weird' stuff so long ago and now, POOF! I'm sucked right back into it again!"  
  
"But Cordy, I really love this hair of yours." Angel jokingly said, as he fingered the long tresses of her hair.  
  
"Get serious, you big lug! I can't believe I am saying this but I need you to be Broody boy for the time being so we can figure a way back home to Wes, Fred, Gunn and Connor."  
  
"Connor... our sweet boy." Angel remembered, getting serious and sad. " I miss our little guy!"  
  
"I miss him too, Angel" Cordy replied as she lovingly stroked the contours of his face. "But we need to find out how to get out of here first before we can get back to Connor."  
  
" I think I know a way." Angel replied as he gave Cordy a reasurring kiss.  
  
***************  
  
* knock, knock *  
  
~I hope to God that he's still home.~ Cordy wished with all of her might.  
  
The door opened.  
  
"This is quite unexpected." Giles replied, " Cordelia, is there something I can help you with? And could it be quick because I am supposed to be meeting Faith and Buffy for their training session, and I am already running late, so..."  
  
Cordy flashed a grin, but her facial expression was still nervous. "Hi Giles! We totally need your help!"  
  
"We?" Giles asked puzzlingly. "What are you talking about, `we'? Are you and Xander in trouble?"  
  
"Oh no, nothing like that!" Cordy answered, shaking her head.  
  
"Oh thank God..." Giles replied in relief. "So what can I help you with Cordelia because as I said I am running..."  
  
"I know, Giles, I know, but this is kind of delicate, and I don't want to startle you," Cordy tried to gently explain, " I just need you to promise me that you'll be calm and rational when I tell you, okay?"  
  
"Calm and rational? Oh, Cordelia, whatever it is, I am sure that I'll be fine. It's me, Giles, for pity's sake!"  
  
"Alright... hey you can come out now." Cordy yelled towards a figure in the shadows.  
  
"Hi Giles. How are you doing?" Angel exclaimed, as he walked out from obscurity.  
  
"Angel?" Giles replied, as his face started to turn white. "Oh my..."  
  
All of a sudden, Giles fell backwards onto the floor.  
  
"Angel!" Cordy exclaimed, as she hit Angel in the ribs. "Look at what you did!"  
  
*********************  
  
Chapter 3  
  
" So let me be clear on this. You and Angel traveled back through time through a portal and now you are stuck back in your old bodies completely clueless about how to get back to your own time. Is that correct?" Giles asked, as he cleaned his spectacles and then put them back on his face again.  
  
"Exactly." Cordelia said, with a sigh of relief. " Now if you could just he..."  
  
"Ha ha ha! You are pulling my leg aren't you Cordelia?" Giles replied laughingly. "What you are talking about is completely impossible!"  
  
"Giles, we're serious here." Angel responded with the most serious tone he could muster up.  
  
"And you!" Giles suddenly pointed towards, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't stake you right here and now for all that you've done! You're supposed to be in hell!"  
  
"Please Giles, don't hurt him!" Cordy pleaded, putting herself as a shield between Giles and Angel " I know he was in hell before, but I'm telling you he's good now and he wouldn't never hurt a fly..."  
  
"Cordy, that's not completely tr..." Angel interjected.  
  
"Shut up here! Trying to save your ass here!" Cordy started to whisper angrily in Angel's ear.  
  
"Cordelia, why do you even care about Angel? You know what he has done to me, Jenny, Buffy, everyone...how can you even think about defending him?"  
  
"Giles, I know this is hard for you to understand right now, but Angel's a good per..vampire now." Cordy tried to explain, as she took Angel's hand into hers and clasped it. "He's not Angelus anymore. I mean, if he was, don't `cha think that he would have eaten up by now?....uh... I mean... all I can say right now is that trust me in saying that he will not be able to hurt anybody we care about as long as you know, he doesn't violate the ... curse." She then looked up at Angel and smiled, but also a part of her was also torn because Cordy knew that she could never be with the man she loved. However, losing him forever would be a fate worse than death, so she was just happy to be with him in any way.  
  
"Cordelia, I don't know..." Giles admitted, as he observed the Cordelia's and Angel's body language. Even if he didn't believe a word they were saying, he had to admit that there was something different about them now. I mean, it was pretty peculiar to see Cordelia's hand intertwined with Angel's, as well as Angel's inability to look at anything else except Cordelia. And Cordelia. She didn't quite seem the same. It sounded like Cordelia, however it wasn't. Giles was just confused.  
  
"Giles, I know that this is a lot to take in, but we really, I mean REALLY, need you to understand right now and help us." Cordy pleaded. "We came to you because we knew that if anyone could figure out how to bring us back to the future would be you, and we knew that...  
  
"... you would be able to keep this a secret." Angel finished her sentence.  
  
"A secret?" Giles asked.  
  
"Giles, I think you know well enough that it would be difficult to tell anyone about this. I mean, here you are now, unable to trust or believe us. Can you imagine what would happen if Buffy were to find out..." Angel said, "Also, you know that being in the past is very fragile. You can never know what would happened if we had changed anything in it... we decided that..."  
  
"... it would be best for the sake of everyone's lives that we try not to disrupt the course of the events that would happen while we are here. We are just going to let things that we know are going to happen run its course and wait patiently until we've found a way back home. I mean, if we change anything, we wouldn't be where we are..."Cordy explained, as her voice trailed at the end. She looked at Angel, and she knew exactly what he was thinking. If things hadn't happened the ways things did, Angel wouldn't have gone to LA, Cordy wouldn't have been there for him to meet again. They wouldn't have the friendship that they had they wouldn't have met Wesley again. They wouldn't have met Fred and Gunn. They would never had Connor as a son. They would have never fallen in love. They just couldn't risk not having a future together.  
  
Angel smiled, knowing also what she thought too and held her hand even tighter.  
  
"We'll just pretend that we are the same Angel and Cordelia from this time and hopefully you'll trust us enough to believe us and help us." Cordy finished.  
  
"I am worried that all of this is starting to become perfectly clear."Giles grudgingly admitted, as he shook his head in disbelief.  
  
"Do you need proof Giles?" Cordy asked, "We'll give you some proof. If we weren't from the future, how could we know what will happen?"  
  
"But I just thought that you said that you weren't going to change anything!" Giles said.  
  
"Yes, we know that we shouldn't give you any details about yours or anyone else's future, but telling you this won't really change anything." Cordy explained, trying to get to her point "Giles, when you go out to train Buffy and Faith tonight, you'll encounter a strange woman. She will say that she was sent by the Watcher's Council to be Faith's new watcher. Her name is... what's her name again?"  
  
"Gwendolyn Post." Angel answered.  
  
"Gwendolyn Post! That's it! Thank you!" Cordy exclaimed, as she shot another smile at Angel. "So if you get going now Giles, you'll see that we are right about this, okay?"  
  
"Gwendolyn Post? Are you sure?" Giles asked questioningly.  
  
"Yes, Giles, Gwendolyn Post. And that's all we can tell you. We won't give you any other details, okay? So even though we tell you this one thing, we won't be able to tell you anything else." Cordy answered, with a little frown on her face, as she remembered how much of a problem Gwendolyn Post would be and how she had hit Giles over the head in the process. "Please Giles, don't hold it against us for not telling you anymore and don't think that we don't care about all of you, but you know what kind of position we are in." Cordy continued, as she tried to wipe the guilt she had from the expression on her face.  
  
"I understand Cordelia. I understand perfectly." Giles replied with assurance.  
  
"Oh thank you Giles!" Cordelia exclaimed, as she suddenly walked towards him to offer him a big hug.  
  
"Well... you're welcome Cordelia..." Giles stammered, as he was taken aback by this gesture.  
  
"Thank you Giles." Angel answered.  
  
"It's alright Angel." Giles once again replied, as he became even more uneasy at what he saw: Angel was smiling from ear to ear and offering his hand to shake. Giles grudging accepted and receiving a strong, a very strong handshake.  
  
"Now Giles" as Cordy broke away from him. "You must go to meet Buffy and Faith now, or you''ll miss them completely and Gwendolyn Post. Please don't forget, okay Giles?"  
  
"I won't forget." Giles promised.  
  
"As well, please pretend that you know nothing about Angel being back from the dead, okay? Only Buffy knows that he's back and you wouldn't want the secret to come out until it really happens, okay? And when everyone knows, act surprised." Cordy told Giles again.  
  
"I promi... Buffy knows?" Giles answered, realizing what that implicated about Buffy.  
  
"Please don't hold it against her." Angel pleaded. "The Giles that we know didn't hold it against her for long."  
  
"Yes, Giles, she is already going to have a toug..oh, I've already said too much" Cordy said, as she immediately stop herself from revealing everything. ~Man, this keeping a secret thing is much tougher than I thought.~  
  
"I understand Cordelia, I really do." Giles assured, although he knew one thing for sure. If what Cordelia and Angel were saying held any kind of truth, he knew that Cordelia's and Angel's lives will become intertwined in one way or another. That was very self evident just from what he saw tonight.  
  
"Thank you Giles." Cordy answered with relief and gratefulness, as she once again took Angel's hand in hers and motioned them both to the door. "We'll talk to you tomorrow."  
  
**************  
  
As Buffy and Faith were busily fighting off vampires one after another, Giles' mind began to wander as he thought back to the conversation he had earlier. Portals, future, Gwendolyn Post. ~I must have been dreaming ~ Giles thought as he wiped his spectacles once more, and then pretended to take notes, so that Buffy and Faith wouldn't suspect that his mind was elsewhere.  
  
"Synchonized Slaying." Buffy replied, as she high-fived Faith.  
  
"New Olympic category." Faith answered in agreement.  
  
"Whatdaya think?" Buffy asked Giles.  
  
As Giles lowered his coffee cup to comment...  
  
"Sloppy." A voice said in the distance.  
  
They all turn to find a woman, looking very severely at all of them. She did not look at all pleasant.  
  
"You telegraph punches, leave blind sides open and, uh, for a school-night slaying, take entirely too much time. Which one of you is Faith?" the strange woman asked.  
  
"Depends. Who the hell are you?" Faith asked boldly in defiance.  
  
Giles turned back to the woman hoping to God that he wouldn't be hearing what he was expecting.  
  
"Gwendolyn Post, Mrs. Your new Watcher." She replied.  
  
The two slayers in front of him exchange a look, and then looked towards him as he continued to hold his cup, unable to stop staring at Mrs. Post, with a look of dumbfoundment and confusion, as the reality of what had happened earlier that evening sunk in. ~Oh my God... what they said was true. They really are from the future...oh God.~  
  
***************  
  
"I can't believe what has happened." Cordy exclaimed once again, still in disbelief.  
  
It was early in the morning at Angel's. They were snuggled closely together in bed, talking till dawn with each other over the perplexities of their situation.  
  
"See, it was a bad idea to tell me that you loved me!" Cordy teased.  
  
"What? I do love you!" Angel protested in defense. "Anyways, it wasn't my fault! It was all what's his face's fault. If he had just gotten the chant right and gone quietly, we would be at home right now...  
  
"...snuggling as we are right now... with Connor" Cordy answered as her voice faltered at the mention of Connor and tears began to fall.  
  
"Hush, Cordy. It's gonna be okay." Angel assured her as he kissed her lightly the top of her head and her forehead, as she held him tighter and buried her face in his chest. "We'll see Connor again. I promise."  
  
"You do? How can you be sure?" Cordy asked, with her head still completed buried in his chest and shirt.  
  
"You know that we'll see our little guy soon! How can we not? Anyways, we both know how much he really misses his mommy right now." Angel answered with a hopeful smile on his face with his answer.  
  
"Mommy?" Cordy asked, as she looked up into Angel's eyes now. "Do you mean it?"  
  
"Of course I do." Angel answered assuredly, as he held her face in his hand and stroked her cheek and wiped her tears away. "You know very well that you have always been his mommy and always will be." With that, he bent his head down to give her a long, lingering kiss.  
  
"Mmm Angel..." Cordy moaned, as she broke away from his kiss, and moved her head towards his ear, "I want more..." she whispered sexily in his ear.  
  
"You do, don't you?" Angel replied playfully, with a naughty grin on his face. "I'll give you mo..."  
  
"Angel? Where are you?"  
  
"Oh my gosh! It's Buffy!" Cordy answered as she suddenly sits up in shock.  
  
***************  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"Oh my Gosh it's Buffy!" Cordy whispered frantically, as she sat up. "What are we going to do?"  
  
"Hush!" Angel whispered quietly, covering Cordy's mouth with one hand and pulling her tighter in the other. "Just listen." "Buffy? Could you wait a few minutes here? I'm changing and I have to do my... hair."  
  
"That's fine. I'll just wait here cuz we all know how LONG it takes you to do your hair!" Buffy yelled.  
  
Cordy began to laugh but stopped herself from doing so, as she chuckled to herself under Angel's hand.  
  
"Hey quiet here!" Angel replied, stunned that Cordy would take Buffy's side on this... he wasn't fussy about his hair. He'll have you know that it takes a lot of skill, time, and gel to get his hair the way it is now. I mean... his mind wandered but focused back on the task at hand. "Cordy, I forgot. Buffy came here to practice some tai chi with me."  
  
"Mmwah..." as Cordy struggled to get her mouth away from his hand. "Tai Chi is it? Seem to me she's come to mack on you again and you're ready to respond!" Cordy answered, clearly bothered by this notion.  
  
"Cordy?" Angel looked at her. " You know what we said about letting things take its course. Well, this is one of the things. You understand don't you?" Angel asked sweetly, as he lifted her face up to look at him.  
  
"Yeah," Cordy answered grumbly. " I know."  
  
"You know that even though this happens, I still love you. It's Angel from the past that can't get over Buffy. The Angel that you know and love (emphasizing on the word LOVE for good measure) has completely fallen for you and Buffy? Who's that? Who is that person that you are a addressing as Buffy? I don't know that name." Angel pretended, trying to get a smile out of her.  
  
"Yeah, like you could really forget Buffy" Cordy pouted, but gave a hint of a smile. "Seriously Angel, I don't want you to forget about her, I just, it's just hard to think about you guys tai chi-ing and all."  
  
"It's just tai chi. Nothing's gonna happen." Angel assured her. "Just wait here, while I go downstairs and train. It won't be a big deal. In and out. And then back to the the snuggles, okay? Alright?" Angel replied, as he pulled Cordy closer to him and gave her a long kiss before he went. "you know, I really love this hair of yours" , he whispered as he lovingly stroke her tresses.  
  
"Yeah, well, I never noticed it before, but how come you are so white in these days?" Cordy asked.  
  
Angel gave her a look.  
  
"I mean really Angel, I thought your skin was pale in LA, but I never how scarily white you look right now. Especially with the wardrobe you used to wear back then. Hmm, what should I wear today? Black, black or black?" Cordy teased. "I'm so glad that the Angel I love is not as white a ghost, wears some colours on good days, and cracks a smile once and awhile."  
  
Then Angel gave her another one of his bashful smiles from ear to ear.  
  
"Like that one." Cordy answered, responding with her own playful smile as well and another kiss goodbye.  
  
"You know," Angel answered coyly, as he walked away, but still looking back at her, "I'll be smiling a lot more often if you keep kissing me that way!"  
  
****************  
  
~It's so odd being here like this ~ Angel thought to himself as he was sweeping his arms in a great arc. ~It's like total déjà vu.~ It was so strange seeing Buffy mimicking his moves and being in close proximity to her. She was just so young and innocent then, even after all the things that had happened to her. ~I mean, she's only seventeen! ~ It just reminded him about how much he loved her at one point and how much he had yearned for those moments in that time so long ago, so that he could be near her.  
  
Now, being back in his old body, with his hands on her, and around her, it was too close for comfort. Buffy, then slowly turns toward him and angles her face towards him. Out of nowhere, as if a feeling of compulsion swept over him, he was about to bend down for a kiss...  
  
Bang! One of his priceless statues near the couch had fallen and spell was broken.  
  
"What was that?" Buffy asked, as she looked towards Angel.  
  
"I don't know," Angel lied, as his eyes turn towards the figure behind the couch, staring at him. "I must have just been careless with it."  
  
"No, I could have sworn somebody was here," Buffy protested. As she was about to eye the room towards Cordy's direction, Angel tried to distract her. "Umm.. hey Buffy! Don't you have school soon?"  
  
"Yeah, I do" Buffy snapped her attention to Angel. "It's also a big night for us Slayer types."  
  
Angel tried to look confused, as he kept eyeing Cordy, still behind the couch.  
  
"People to see, demons to kill. (starts to leave) Better hurry before somebody figures out what we're doing." Buffy replied.  
  
"...Sorry. It's just... (smiles weakly) old habit. (loses the smile) Bad, bad habit to be broken." Buffy continued.  
  
"Huh?" Angel replied as he was lost in thought. "Oh yeah... I know. It's hard." He answered as remembered how hard it was for them to be apart at that time.  
  
Then as Buffy continued to talk, his mind began to wander again as he was watching Cordy try to sneak out on all fours back into his bedroom.  
  
"...I'm gonna try and vent a little hormonal angst by going out there and killing a Lagos, whatever that is."  
  
"Lagos?" Angel exclaimed as he tried to focus on Buffy once more.  
  
"Some demon looking for some all-powerful thingamabob..." Buffy explained as Angel continued to look at Cordy and was worried about her. "...I gotta stop him before he unleashes unholy havoc, and it's another Tuesday night in Sunnydale." Buffy answered, noticing his worried expression.  
  
"Angel? I'll be alright." Buffy assured him.  
  
"Oh I know." Angel replied, as he remembered that she wouldn't be hunting the demon down tonight but would be visiting him once more.  
  
"you know?" Buffy asked puzzlingly.  
  
"No, I mean, be careful." Angel replied, trying to fix what he had just said.  
  
Then Buffy turns and leaves. As Buffy walked away, Angel looked at her and watched, remembering grudgingly at that time in their life. It was hard. As he left, he walks and goes into his bedroom.  
  
"Cordy?" Angel asked.  
  
"Yes, Angel?" Cordy asked innocently.  
  
"Sweetie, you could have been easily seen by Buffy! Why didn't you just stayed put in the bedroom?" Angel asked.  
  
"I was just curious what kind of Tai Chi you guys were doing! I mean, you know how hard it is for me to stay out of people's business, especially my boyfriend's business." Cordy explained in defense.  
  
"Your boyfriend? Hey, I like the sound of that." Angel replied, as he pulled Cordy closer to her, giving her a kiss.  
  
"You better! Hey how come we don't do Tai Chi when we train?" Cordy demanded. "It sounds like fun. I mean, it certainly looked that from where I was hiding."  
  
"You want to?" Angel asked. "I mean we could do that right now..." as he crossed his arms around her.  
  
"Hey big guy! Focus here! We have to find that thing that the evil woman was looking for!"Cordy exclaimed.  
  
"What?" Angel asked in puzzlement.  
  
"You know, what Buffy was talking about earlier. Don't you remember, Lagos, a glove of ome sort, all evil thing. I wasn't there when you guys had the big showdown, but I remembered the gist of it."  
  
"Oh, you mean, the Glove of Myhnegon." Angel replied, finally getting with the program.  
  
"Yeah, that glove of whatever. From what I remembered, it was you who found it." Cordy exclaimed, as she tried to piece together what she remembered. "Do you remember where you found it?"  
  
"Yeah," Angel responded, as his memory started to work again. " I found it in this family crypt of some sort. "Von Hauptman I think is the family name. I remembered how it took me the whole day to figure out its location, and it was only till nightfall that I was able to get it."  
  
"Umm... Angel? Hello? You're a vampire. You can't go out in the day anyways. You know? Sunlight, ahh burning!"  
  
Angel gave her another look.  
  
"I'm just saying, just in case you were having a bout of amnesia here." Cordy explained.  
  
"So what we going to do in the meantime since you've already figured out where the glove is?"  
  
Angel gave her a sly look, growled, and basically pounced on her, making them both fall onto his bed.  
  
"Angel!" Cordy giggled, as he proceeded to tickle and kiss her.  
  
***************  
  
"Angel? Are you here?"  
  
"Huh?" Angel mumbled, as he lifted his face from the bed sheets and blankets, hair all rumpled and messed up, as he was in disarray.  
  
"Honey, Buffy's back again." Cordy replied.  
  
"Why don't you just tell her to just go away. We're busy making out." Angel replied and went back to what he was doing.  
  
"Angel!" Cordy whispered, as she nudged him.  
  
"Hey, we can pretend that I'm not home so that we can make out some more!" Angel replied.  
  
"Angel! You know what's supposed to happen tonight! You are supposed to be doing something with Buffy when Xander catches you! Remember? That's how everyone found out about you!" Cordy playfully slapped him upside the head to get him to clue in.  
  
"But I much rather be here with you! You know with the making out and stuff." Angel whined, trying to motion her back to where she was.  
  
"Hey remember about the not changing the course of events deal. You have to get up now..." Cordy pulling him up and dragging him by the ear towards the washroom.  
  
"Ouch! Hey watch the hair!" Angel exclaimed.  
  
"Clean your face.." Cordy then splashed some water on his face, "And get your hair fixed up." As she said that, she took some of his gel and quickly spiked up his ends.  
  
"Hey wait Cordy! Didn't I just say `watch the hair!'?" Angel complained.  
  
"No buts about it mister! Now that we're together, and in love, my champion dear, you are gonna have to deal that I can touch your hair whenever I want to." Cordy declared, but not without giving a coy wink.  
  
"Oh alright." Angel answered. "Buffy! I'll be right with you!"  
  
"Oh, remember! Although I brought back the glove for you already, you should run quickly to the crypt again so that Xander `accidentally' spots you and `Whoops!' Catches you in the act." Cordy reminded him.  
  
"Yeah, thanks" Angel replied, as he gives her a quick kiss before he leaves.  
  
"Hey Angel, what your night as boring as mine?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Hey Buffy, could you excuse me for a second while I.. um get something." Angel asked.  
  
"Umm... okay..." Buffy answered in bafflement.  
  
"And Buffy?" Angel replied as he runs out of the mansion, "My night was that boring.", thinking back to his little makeout session with Cordy.  
  
******************  
  
~Who the hell is that?~ Xander thought to himself as he saw a dark figure running past him. He was running around past the cemetery and then all of all sudden, he locks his eyes on the mysterious person face. ~Angel?~  
  
He then pulls out a stake, runs and follows the figure, hoping to God that it wasn't what he thought he saw.  
  
However, as he finally caught up to the figure at Angel's mansion and peered through the window, he was left in shock at the sight he saw: ~Buffy's kissing Angel!!!!!~  
  
******************  
  
As Xander walked away from the window, Angel could see him leaving in a huff. ~Right on schedule! ~  
  
"Angel..." Buffy moaned.  
  
"Uh, Buffy... " Angel said gently as he tried to push her away with no luck.  
  
CRASH! Suddenly, the other priceless statue fell into pieces on the floor and startled Buffy.  
  
"What am I doing? (looks up at him) What are *you* doing?" Buffy demanded in realization with what they were doing.  
  
"I don't know." Angel replied, still as confused as he was the first time around.  
  
"Shame on you!" Buffy exclaimed as she slapped him across the face out of nowhere.  
  
~Hey! That didn't happen the first time !~ Angel thought to himself, as he saw once more a figure behind the couch moving, stifling her laughs.  
  
"I'm sorry Angel." Buffy apologized, realizing what she had done. "Oh, God, I... I don't even know why I came back here."  
  
As she was about to leave, Angel suddenly said: "It's good that you did!" (Maybe that was too enthusiastic) "I have something for you." With that, he revealed the Glove of Myhnegon.  
  
**************  
  
"... Based, I believe, on very sketchy and unreliable folk legends. The pictures are fun to look at, Mr. Giles, but one really ought to read the nice words as well."  
  
Giles attempted to humour her as Mrs. Post continued to rattle on about the Glove this and the Glove that, but all he could hear was `Blah, blah, blah'. He really didn't have time to hear her shrill voice as not only did he have to investigate the Glove, but also the time portal for Angel and Cordelia. ~If only I could shut her up for one moment so I could hear myself think!~  
  
"I know that you must find me tiresome, but it's insidious, really."  
  
~You don't know the half of it! Can't somebody please he...~  
  
"Giles! We have a big problem. It's Buffy." Xander exclaimed, bursting into his apartment out of nowhere.  
  
~ I can't believe that I am relieved to see Xander!~  
  
"Will you excuse us?" Giles asked politely, as he motioned Xander away.  
  
"Do you need some assistance?" Mrs. Post snootily offered.  
  
"Thank you. That won't be necessary." Giles answered, trying not to show his contempt of her clearly on his face.  
  
As Xander and Giles moved away into a dark corner, Giles tried to calm down a frantic an erratic Xander down.  
  
"Xander, calm down! Calm down! Tell me what's wrong." Giles reasoned.  
  
"Okay, Giles, you won't believe this... now try to be calm about it okay and not go crazy, but ANGEL'S BACK and I followed him, and did the following, and who did I find him with? Buffy! Buffy of all people, sucking his face off! What do we do? What do we do? Can we kill him, can we? Can we? Pretty please?" Xander exclaimed with crazy chatter.  
  
"oh." Giles replied, ~So that is what this is about! That's it?~  
  
"What?" Xander demanded.  
  
"Oh!" Giles exclaimed more loudly, realizing the error of ways. " Oh MY GOD! ANGEL's alive! This is a COMPLETE shock to me! WHAT SHALL WE DO?"  
  
"That's more like it!" Xander answered with a sense of satisfaction.  
  
*********************  
  
Chapter 5  
  
They were all sitting in the library waiting for Buffy. There were all there. Willow, Oz, Xander, Giles and Cordy. While Oz was deep in thought, Willow and Xander kept sneaking glances at each other. All of them had no idea what they were going to say to Buffy, as they all were reeling from the fact that she had kept such a big secret from them. The only ones that were calm were Giles and Cordy, who kept trying to talk to each to other without putting more attention on themselves.  
  
"Giles? Is there anyway I could talk to you for a minute?" Cordy asked.  
  
"Yes, Cordelia, I think maybe the office would be a more suita..."  
  
"Lagos is out of luck. I got the magic mitten thingy." Buffy exclaimed, as she burst into the library.  
  
Everyone turned to look at Buffy, as Giles and Cordelia tried to pretend to be as glum as possible.  
  
"What's with all the tragedy masks?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Better take a seat Buffy." Giles replied, trying to look solemn.  
  
"What's going on?" Buffy wondered, feeling as though she was being interrogated.  
  
"We know Angel is alive. Xander saw you with him. It would appear that you've been hiding him and that you lied to us." Giles answered very matter of factly.  
  
Buffy then tried to look away.  
  
"...I think you're harboring a vicious killer." Xander said suddenly.  
  
Out of nowhere, Cordy blurted out in defense: "Angel's not a vicious killer!" much to the surprise of everyone and the chagrin of Giles.  
  
"What did you say Cordelia? How could you be standing up for Buffy?" He demanded. ~I totally thought that she would be the first one on my side! ~  
  
"Yeah? Why are you standing up for me?" Buffy asked, as it began to sink in that Queen C, the evil stuck-up cheerleader of Sunnydale, was actually standing up for her was beyond her comprehension.  
  
" Uh, I was just thinking that you guys are maybe being a little too hard on her." Cordy gently replied.  
  
"Uh, hello? Doesn't anyone see that we're dealing with a psycho here! Once that's just gonna turn back all demony once Buffy gives him another happy!" Xander yelled out.  
  
With that, Cordy got a visual that she'd just rather not deal with. ~Eww. Angel and Buffy.. blech!~  
  
"I'm not going to... We're not together like that." Buffy protested.  
  
"But you were kissing him." Oz replied.  
  
"You were spying on me? What gives you the right?" Buffy demanded.  
  
And without no control of her own, Cordy suddenly made another outburst: "What gives you the right to suck face with your demon lover again?"  
  
"Hey, I thought you were on my side about this!" Buffy said. ~I guess it was a figment of my imagination to think Cordelia would be on my side. ~  
  
"I didn't mean I swear...well, maybe I mean it, but..."Cordy replied, confused by her actions. ~You know you meant it cuz you just don't want Buffy to be kissing Angel since he is your boyfriend now.~  
  
"It was accident, okay?" Buffy yelled out in her defense.  
  
~Accident, yeah right!~ Cordy muttered to herself.~ Like she just...~  
  
"...tripped and fell on his lips!" Xander answered.  
  
And so it went between everyone in the room, as Xander kept barking accusations and Buffy started yelling back. Only Cordy and Giles remained on the sidelines of this crazy argument until Giles just couldn't take it any longer...  
  
"That's enough! Everybody. Now, Buffy knows our concerns, and her actions, however ill-advised, can be understood." As he was talking, he kept looking at Cordelia knowingly. "Our... priority right now is to retrieve the Glove of Myhnegon and try to destroy it. Now, all of you, back to classes."  
  
This just made everyone disperse and leave.  
  
"Thanks for the bail in there." Buffy exclaimed with a sigh. "I know this is a lot to absorb, but Angel did find the glove, and that was a good..."  
  
"Yes, I know." Giles said calmly, "But you should have told us all about Angel being alive again. It was not fair of you to have kept lying to us over and over again. You have to have respect for not only me as your watcher, but also for your friends who all depend on you, do you understand?"  
  
"Yes."Buffy said shamefully, as she walked out of the office and the library.  
  
Giles just watch as his slayer walked away and let out a huge sigh and looked out the window.  
  
"Giles?" Cordelia asked, completely startling Giles and made him jump out of his skin.  
  
"Cordelia! Don't ever do that to me again!" Giles exclaimed, "Shouldn't you be in class?"  
  
"Hey, you know me, I already know what my future's gonna turn out. I'll get okay grades, graduate and get the hell out of Sunnydale and got to L...oops! Once again, too much details!" Cordy replied, feeling guilty for letting her tongue slip.  
  
"Oh! I forgot about that." Giles replied. "Do you mind me asking how old you are really? I mean, it's not much of a detail. You don't have to answer but..."  
  
"Giles, I'm twenty one now! I just celebrated my birthday pretty recently in my world and boy what a birthday it was! Let me tell you...whoops! Sorry again! I know you wouldn't be interested in my birthdays anyways." Cordy answered, with a little grin.  
  
"Twenty one!... that is tremendous!" Giles replied, giving her a smile as well.  
  
"So Giles, have you figured out a way for me and Angel to go home?" Cordy asked.  
  
"I'm terribly sorry Cordelia, I was so busy with the Glove and Mrs. Post that I haven't been..." Giles explained.  
  
"Oh Giles! Don't worry about the glove! Me and Angel are working on that now. You don't have to worry about a thing. Just please help us soon. We are counting on you." Cordy answered.  
  
"Could I ask you a question, Cordelia?" Giles asked "About the portal?"  
  
"Sure!" Cordy answered.  
  
"What kind of portal was it supposed to be? I mean it might help me narrow down the search."  
  
"It was supposed to be a portal opening up to the Pylean dimension. My friend was supposed to go back to his dimension when he accidently flubbed the lines and Angel and I ended up here. That's all I know, Giles." Cordy admitted.  
  
"Thank you, Cordelia" Giles answered. "That will prove very helpful."  
  
"I'll be going to Angel's now to help with the Glove, okay?" Cordy answered. And as she left, "Giles?"  
  
"Yes?" Giles replied.  
  
"It'd be nice if you could call me Cordy from now on." Cordy said with a smile.  
  
***************  
  
"You wanted to see me Mr. Giles?"  
  
"Yes, Mrs. Post. I do apologize for bringing you in at this  
  
late hour." Giles said as he put on his coat." I just wanted you to be kept up to date about the Glove. I've found it. Oh, not actually on me, but, uh, I believe it's safe. It's in a mansion on Crawford Street. A-a-a friend of Buffy's is keeping it there."  
  
"Well. We must get to it. Immediately. Hide it before someone else finds it." Mrs. Post replied with enthusiasm as she stood up.  
  
"Oh, actually it is already in the process of being destroyed."  
  
"Destroyed?"  
  
"Yes. We have already gathered the necessary materials to destroy the Glove before anyone could use it for any harm. The ritual might have already begun. Let me just grab a few things and we can go there together" Giles explained as he fumbled around his desk to pick up a few books.  
  
"Well, I must say, Mr. Giles... Good show." Mrs. Post answered impressively, as she stepped behind him and hits him hard across the head with a wooden statue. Giles looks back at her completely stunned and collapsed to the floor.  
  
"Good show indeed."  
  
**************  
  
"Angel, are you sure this is going to work?" Cordy asked, as they both stand in front of a fire with an urn and a couple of potions beside them.  
  
"Trust me Cordy, this will work." Angel replied, "I mean, I've already done this before, so how hard would it be to do it a second time around? Just help hold up the book as I recite the chant, okay honey?" Angel answered, as he gave a quick smile.  
  
"Okay, Angel, I trust you." Cordy answered, as she held up the magic book in at eye level so that he could see.  
  
"Exorere, Flamma Vitae. Prodi ex loco tuo elementorum, in hunc mundum vivorum." Angel chanted, as he took some green powder, shook it unto the fire and made it turn green.  
  
"Exorere, Flamma Vitae. Prodi ex loco tuo elementorum, in hunc mundum vivorum."  
  
Angel chanted once more and shook some red powder onto the fire and it turned bright red.  
  
"Angel, do you need the gl..."Cordy asked.  
  
" Shussh! I hear someone coming!" Angel whispered as he could hear footsteps approaching with his hearing. "Go behind the curtain and hide!"  
  
"No Angel! I want to stay here with you!" Cordy replied.  
  
"Can you just listen to me this one time not argue? Just go!" Angel demanded. "Hide!"  
  
So Cordy ran and hid behind the black curtains around the fireplace, just a the mystery guest appeared.  
  
"What do you want?" Angel asked, although he knew exactly how this was going to play out.  
  
"Gwen Post. Mr. Giles sent me." She replied.  
  
"What for?" Angel asked again.  
  
"To help you destroy the glove. Is that the Living Flame?" she pondered, pointing at the urn.  
  
"Yes" Angel replied, trying not to hide the boredom in his eyes.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry to be so abrupt, but Lagos is on his way here now. (looks it over) If you're performing the ritual incorrectly, it will only make the glove more powerful." She explained.  
  
~Oh God Angel!~ Cordy thought to herself as she peered out from the black curtain, ~Just please be careful!~   
  
"Alright." Angel replied. ~Remember. Don't change anything. Just let it be.~  
  
"Good. Where is the glove?"  
  
"In the trunk." Angel answered, as he turned towards the trunk.  
  
However, while his back is turned, Gwendolyn grabs a shovel that's leaning against the table and swings it hard into his head. He falls to the floor unconscious.  
  
~Angel! ~Cordy thought in horror as her beloved laid on the floor unmoving.  
  
*************************  
  
Chapter 6  
  
~Angel!~ Cordy agonized in frustration behind the black curtain, holding back her tears as she was unable to speak or even move in that moment. While her lover was still unconscious and she was unable to help him, the evil Mrs. Post proceeded to use the shovel to jam into the padlock of the trunk. ~Why didn't he tell me that he was going get his stupid head bashed in? Why didn't he defend himself? Of all the stupid, idiotic th...~  
  
"Okay..." Angel got up suddenly with his game face on. " That hurt."  
  
~Angel! You're okay!~ Cordy smiled in relief. ~You nearly gave me a heart attack!~  
  
Angel then began to circle the urn as he attempted to fight off Mrs. Post. Then he pushed her to the wall and she fell down unconscious.  
  
~yes Angel!~ Cordy thought. Then she noticed Faith coming in. ~Oh no, not Faith!~   
  
"Mrs Post!" Faith cried out, as she ran to Mrs. Post's aid. Then she got up and faced Angel.  
  
"I can't believe how much I'm gonna kill you!" Faith exclaimed with utter rage.  
  
"You're not getting that glove." Angel replied, not moving an inch.  
  
"You wanna bet?" Faith challenged.  
  
Angel and Faith then proceeded to exchange kicks and blows, each attempting to get other at their vulnerable points. However, Faith gains some advantage as she snap kicks him, then grabs him by the shirt and sends him flying unto the couch. Angel becomes helpless and sees Faith raising her stake.  
  
~ Angel! NO!!!!!~ Cordy thought in complete and utter panic.  
  
But as Faith swings her stake to stab his chest, out of nowhere, a arm reaches in and stops Faith from stabbing.  
  
~Buffy!~ Cordy realized, as she lets out a sigh of relief.  
  
"What?" Faith asked in confusion.  
  
Buffy then proceeds to push Faith away from Angel and then stand face to face with Faith.  
  
"I can't let you do it, Faith." Buffy proclaimed.  
  
"You're confused, Twinkie." Faith explains with a twisted smile. " Let me clear you up. Vampire." As she points to Angel. " Slayer," as she points to herself. " Dead vampire." As she points to Angel again.  
  
" Faith no," Buffy tries to explain.  
  
"She doesn't know" exclaims a weakend Mrs Post to Faith, "She's blinded by love."  
  
~Faith, don't listen to her!~ Cordy thought pleadingly.  
  
Instead, Faith kicks Buffy in the face and Buffy drops to her knees. Then, Buffy takes a punch to Faith and they continued to spar and fight outside.  
  
"Angel..."Cordy whispered from the curtain, but Angel doesn't respond to her calls.  
  
Then Willow and Xander arrive at the mansion and Cordy once again, fumbles to be completely covered by the curtain.  
  
Willow and Xander run to Mrs. Post's aid as she weakingly says: "The glove! It's in the trunk."  
  
" We'll get it." Xander replies.  
  
~No Xander, you idiot! Don't listen to her! ~Cordy thought to herself, as she frustratingly tries to motion her head towards an unconscious Angel and Buffy and Faith fighting outside, as if anyone could really see her.  
  
"Help Faith." Mrs. Post said, as she fragily falls over.  
  
However, as Xander attempted to help stop the fight between Buffy and Faith, they instead knocked him over, throwing aside to fight some more.  
  
Inside, Mrs. Post takes her chance and opens the trunk. She unfolds the glove from the rags that cover it and holds it up in her hands.  
  
"Finally." She proclaims triumphantly.  
  
As Willow stares at Mrs. Post in confusion, Mrs. Post remembers Willow's presence and knocks her unconscious as well.  
  
~Oh Willow!~ Cordelia sighed in desperation. She hated feeling helpless these days. What was the point of Angel training her for so long if she couldn't use her skills? But, she had to remind herself that this was a different time, a different world where the only way of preserving the future was to stand by idly as your friends fall one by one. ~This completely blows!~  
  
Suddenly Mrs. Post slipped her right hand into the Glove and makes a fist. As she makes the fist, the metal claws that surrounding punctures itself into her arm. It seemed as if she was oblivious to the pain and laughed maniacally at her triumph and raises her arm to the sky.  
  
" Taou huogan maqachte milegaing!" She proclaims, as lightning bolts begin to strike and thunder booms.  
  
~Oh my God!~ Cordy thought to herself. ~This can't be happening!~   
  
As the thunder and lightning filled the room, Buffy and Faith finally stop their fighting and notice the chaos.  
  
"What's going on?" Faith asked in bewilderment.  
  
" Faith! A word of advice: you're an idiot." Mrs. Post explains, as Buffy and Faith both look in utter disbelief.  
  
Mrs Post then raised the Glove once again towards the sky and begins to chant:  
  
"Tauo freim! Tauo freim!"  
  
She then directs her power towards Buffy and Faith, to strike them down with a lightning bolt, but they think quickly and jump out of the way.  
  
Willow then wake up and realizes what is happening. She stands and is complete frozen with fear. Mrs. Post notices Willow and decide to spurn her wrath on her next.  
  
"Tauo freim!" She screams and points the Glove in Willow's direction.  
  
Angel finally gains consciousness and thinks fast. He rushes towards Willow, reaches her in time and tackles her down, away from the lightning. As they are both crouched onto the ground, Willow notices something. She glances up at the black curtain from the ground and notices a pair of feet peaking out from the bottom of the curtain. ~Huh?~ She wondered. She started to stare at the pair of feet even further as they were figgeting under the curtain.  
  
~No, Willow! Look away! ~Cordy thought and tried to stay as still as possible.  
  
It was too late, as continued to stare at the pair of shoes. ~ I think I've seen those heels before. Black, sparkly heel...it looks expensive...isn' t that Cord..~  
  
Angel then notices Willow's continual stare towards the curtain. As they both lying on the ground, Angel looks into Willow's eyes and whispers "Shussh..." as he put his index finger to his lips to tell Willow to keep quiet.  
  
"Can you draw her fire?" Buffy asked Faith.  
  
"You bet I can." Faith assured her.  
  
"Go do it." Buffy replied.  
  
Faith then distracted Mrs. Post to direct her power in her direction. As Mrs. Post pointed the Glove towards Faith and fired, Faith then jumped behind the couch to avoid the lightning.  
  
"There's nothing you can do to me now." Mrs. Post laughed maniacally. "I have the glove. With the glove comes the power."  
  
"I'm getting that." Buffy replied.  
  
As Mrs. Post look towards Buffy, she flings a large piece of glass like a blade, severing the Glove and the power from Mrs. Post's arm. The Glove falls to the floor and starts flinging lightning bolts at random. Without a central target, it hits Mrs. Post in the chest.  
  
and the power goes throughout her whole body. Mrs.Post then screams in utter pain. All of them look on with horror as she continues to scream in pain until her body just vanished in bright flash of light. Xander finally get up from his fall outside and walks towards the others. Buffy just stands there, completely frozen. Faith, gets up from behind the couch. Willow and Angel struggle to get up from the floor, but keep giving each other knowing stares. As for Cordy, she tried her best to keep herself hidden from curious eyes, and did her best to remain calm after that debacle.  
  
The only thing that was left of Mrs Post was her severed hand still trapped inside the Glove. All of a sudden, the metal claws that had punctured her arm unexpectedly broke free and released her hand.  
  
The spell was finally broken.  
  
***************  
  
"Is everyone okay?" Buffy asked everyone. She then tried to move closer to Faith, who refused to talk to anyone and stormed out in a flash.  
  
Buffy feeling defeated, then turn to Angel for support. "Are you okay, Angel?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine, Buffy. Just fine." Not looking at her directly in the face but kept glancing towards Willow, who tried to pretend that there was nothing strange going on.  
  
"Yeah I am fine too." Willow replied out of nowhere, with a little too much eagerness.  
  
Xander tried to walk closer to Willow to comfort her but since Willow knew of Cordelia's presence, she tried to back away.  
  
"Hey, Xander, shouldn't you check up on Cordelia?" Willow suggested.  
  
"Oh my god! Cordelia!" Xander finally realized, as a feeling of utter guilt swept over him.  
  
"I have to check up on her now, before I get in big trouble. You know Cordelia and how mad she gets when I don't check up on her." He nervously chuckle, gives Willow another look goodbye, and scurried out of there as fast as possible.  
  
"Angel..." Buffy exclaims as she walks towards him and tries to take refuge in Angel's arms.  
  
"You know Buffy," Angel says gently, "I think you should go now and see your mother. I am sure she's worried sick about you." And then Angel added, "And you know, we wouldn't want to be doing something that we shouldn't." as if her staying would be something they'd regret.  
  
"Oh. You're right Angel." Buffy agreed as she remembered their converstation about bad habits and quitting them `cold turkey'. She definitely needed to get out of here before feelings should arise and kissing would come into play. "Willow, are you coming?"  
  
***************  
  
"Oh Buffy." Willow said nervously, as she began to lie through her teeth."I think I'll just...um... call Oz from here and ask him to pick me up from here. I think I definitely some Oz quality time. Yeah! You can go on without me."  
  
"Are you sure Willow?" asked Buffy again.  
  
"Oh of course I'm sure! Why wouldn't I be sure, huh?" Willow laughing nervously.  
  
"Okay." Buffy replied. "I'll see you in school tomorrow okay?"  
  
"Yeah, bye Buffy!" Willow answered, waving at her.  
  
"Yeah, bye!" Buffy looking at her strangely and shaking her head. Then she looked at Angel and gazed longingly "Bye Angel."  
  
Angel just didn't respond and just watched her go.  
  
***************  
  
Once they were completely alone and everyone was gone, Willow stood there, looking at her sneakers, and then walked towards the curtain and pulled it open.  
  
"Aha! I knew it was you! I just knew it!" Willow proclaimed. " What on earth are you doing here, at Angel's place of all places and why were you hiding behind the curtain the whole time? Were you scared, because I would understand cuz you know I..."  
  
"Hi Willow." Cordy interrupted. "So I guess you found me."  
  
"Hey why don't you answer my question, huh?" Willow once more. "Why are you here?"  
  
"Umm... how can I explain..." Cordy said nervously, as she kept looking at Angel for some help, any help. But he looked as clueless as ever. ~What's the point of having a champion as a boyfriend when he can't even get you out of a simple jam? ~  
  
Then, Willow looked around the room and noticed things that she hadn't noticed before. Plastic, colourful flowers were put everywhere around the room. Women's clothing were scattered all on the furniture and the floor. She knew they couldn't be Buffy's because she never dressed that colourful ever and Angel... well, he's mister Black all the time. Unless...  
  
"Oh my God! You're cheating on Xander with Angel!" Willow blurted out, pointing her finger at Cordy and gasping in shock. Although it was surprising, it did ease her heart a little over having those kissing sessions with Xander behind Cordelia's and Oz' backs. But, Angel? They had absolutely nothing in common! "Angel, what about Buffy? Don't you love Buf..." Willow asked Angel as she gave him disappointing looks.  
  
"Wait Willow, wait." Cordy interrupted her in mid sentence. "It's not exactly what you think, okay. Just please calm down Willow and we'll try to explain everything to you."  
  
"Alright." Willow agreed.  
  
"You know Willow," Cordy said. "I think that you should be sitting for this news..."  
  
***************  
  
Willow was sitting in the student lounge with Oz, Xander, and Cordelia. They were all sitting around as Xander was retelling last night's adventure. However, Willow couldn't really concentrate on what he was saying as she was still reeling from what Angel and Cordelia had told her the night before. ~They can't be from the future! It's even more unbelievable than regular Sunnydale Weird stuff!~ But then she thought back to how Angel and Cordelia were acting last night. She couldn't put her finger on it, but they were different. I mean, they looked like the Angel and Cordelia that she knew, but their behaviours were so strange. Cordelia, instead of griping and caring only for herself, she was nice and kind and actually trying to calm her down, like she actually cared about how she was feeling. And Angel, the darkest and broodiest person (well vampire) that she had ever known was actually smiling, pretty much most of the time. It was so eerie being there seeing it. It was like  
some sort of dream.  
  
The oddest part would have to be the way that Angel and Cordelia were acting towards each other. They sat so close to one another on that couch and the way that Angel would hold Cordelia's hand or pat her shoulder and even kiss her forehead was enough to make her head spin. I mean, she had seen Angel be very affectionate with Buffy, but not like that. Even the simplest gestures spoke volumes about their relationship. They didn't have to say a single word and she knew that if what they had was true, that Angel and Cordelia would fall in love. ~Angel and Cordelia fall in love in the future? ~She thought to herself. ~What about Buffy? I mean, what she thought was basically true love (even though she won't admit right now) is not like at all! I mean, this totally changes the way that I think about true love! I really thought that Angel and Buffy would love each other forever and now that this has happened...~  
  
How could Angel and Cordelia fall in love? I mean, they are so totally different from each other. She wouldn't have even thought they could be friends... ~I mean, Angel having friends? He's the loneliest guy I know! ~ But then, people do change. How could she know what would happen after high school. And as she saw from last night, with Angel and Cordelia basically living together, they really did change a lot.  
  
~Oh God! I wonder if she knows about me and Xander?~ She suddenly thought. A wave of panic swept through her. She had been all jumpy about her and Xander's little `indiscretions' and now that Future Cordelia was around, she had to wonder whether she ever found out the truth about her and Xander. She didn't really have the courage to mention it at all last night, but she was now feeling even more super guilty about the whole thing. ~It was supposed to be a fluke! Just a fluke! With the homecoming clothes and the candy and the...~  
  
"So there's no more glove thingy?" Cordelia said.  
  
Willow jumped in her seat, as her mind refocused on the conversation in the lounge.  
  
"No. Little Living Flame, little mesquite, gone for good." Xander answered.  
  
~God, why can't I stop thinking about him? Damn his lips! ~Willow thought to herself, as she kept staring at his cute lips and licking her own lips in the process.  
  
"Sounds like we missed a lot of fun." Oz interjected.  
  
~Oh Oz!~ Willow quickly thought, as she darted her head to her sneakers in one swift motion to hide her guilt.  
  
"Then we're telling it wrong." Xander replied.  
  
Willow, thinking that she had been too quiet, tried to join into the conversation:  
  
"What do you think Buffy and Angel are gonna do?" She really wanted to know cuz how does Buffy's and Angel's relationship get so bad that in the years to come, he would fall for Cordelia?  
  
"Boy, do I don't know." Xander answered.  
  
~It is so weird to think that I ever liked Xander at all. He can be nice sometimes, but boy can he be annoying~. Cordy thought to herself, as she gave him a strange look.  
  
~I wonder how Willow is doing. She looks so quiet and avoidy over there., ~as she glanced at Willow.  
  
"Well, he saved me from a horrible flamey death. That sort of makes me like him again." Willow exclaimed all of a sudden. ~Kinda also like this new Angel. Kinda creepy at first with all the smiles, but you sort of like after awhile.~   
  
"Well, as long as she and Angel don't get pelvic, we'll be okay, I guess." Xander declared.  
  
~ Why did he have to mention Angel, Buffy and pelvic? I hate getting these visuals! ~ Cordy groaned in disgust, as she crossed her arms.  
  
"What are you guys talking about?" Buffy asked, as she came into the lounge.  
  
"Oddly enough, your boyfriend. Again." Oz answered.  
  
"He's not my boyfriend." Buffy answered sadly, as she sat next to Xander. " Really, truly, he's... *sighs* I don't know."  
  
~Damn right he's not your boyfriend! He's my boyfriend!~ Cordy thought to herself, as she looked at Buffy. ~Oh God. I'm so petty.~  
  
"Are we cool?" Buffy asked while looking at Xander.  
  
"Yeah! Just seeing the two of you kissing after everything that happened, I leaned toward the postal. (pauses) But I trust you." Xander replied grudgingly.  
  
"I don't. Just for the record." Cordy added, ~Especially when it comes to Angel.~  
  
As Buffy raised her eyebrows at Cordy, not surprised by her response, Giles approached them, with a big bandage on his forehead.  
  
"Let me guess: Gwendolyn Post: not a Watcher." Buffy deduced.  
  
"Yes, she was." Giles answered, trying to be very careful with his steps. " She was, uh, kicked out by the council a couple of years ago for misuses of dark power. They swear there was a memo."  
  
"Well, I better go." Buffy explained, as she looked at Xander."Little more damage control."  
  
Buffy stood up and left the room.  
  
"* sighs * The whole Angel thing is so weird." Willow agonized ~In more ways that I can count! ~  
  
"Yes, well, we'll have to see how that unfolds, won't we?" Giles replied, as he sat down next to Xander. ~Especially with the portal problem.~  
  
As Giles settled on the couch, Xander and Oz both started to get up.  
  
"Sorry guys, but me and Oz have class." Xander explained, as he gave Cordy a peck on the cheek. "We'll see you guys later, okay?"  
  
"Yeah bye guys." Oz added, as he gave a loving kiss to Willow and smiled.  
  
The only ones left were Willow, Giles and Cordelia.  
  
"Oh God, I'm really sorry Giles." Cordy exclaimed, as she touched Giles' forehead. "I didn't want you to get hurt, but our hands were tied. We couldn't disrupt the way things would happen."  
  
"Ouch." Giles said, as he backed his head away from Cordy's touch. "It's alright Corde..I mean Cordy. I understand your situation. I wouldn't want you to disrupt the chasm of time, but I sort of wished that you would have given some warning. That woman gave me a serious whallop!"  
  
"Giles!" Willow exclaimed in surprise. "You know about Angel and Cordelia too!"  
  
"Oops!" Cordy admitted. "I'm sorry that I forgot to fill you in about that Willow. Angel and I only wanted Giles to know because we needed his help to find a way back home. We hadn't planned on getting you involved too. I'm sorry about that."  
  
"That's okay." Willow assured her. "Is there anything I can do to help?"  
  
"I don't know" Cordy replied. "Giles, have you found any more information about the time portal?"  
  
"Unfortunately, no." Giles said in disappointment. "With Gwendolyn looking over my shoulder at practically every moment of the day, I couldn't make any more progress on it. I'm sorry."  
  
"That's alright Giles." Cordy replied with some sadness. " I just hope that Angel and I will figure out a way back home before everyone finds out about us or we screw things up during our time here."  
  
Then they just all glanced to each other in silence, with worried looks all over their faces.  
  
*********************  
  
"So how was your day at school, sweetie? I mean, you must have had a lot to talk about after that whole Glove debacle." Angel said, as Cordy's head was on his lap.  
  
They were both on the couch, just talking and relaxing. Angel was sitting up, as Cordy laid on it.  
  
"Pretty much, same old, same old. But I'm totally hating this déjà vu crap day in and day out, not to mention high school in general." Cordy replied. "Even though it's kind of bad that Willow found out about us, I'm kind of glad that she knows because not only can she help us with the portal thing, but it's nice to know that there is one less person to hide our relationship from."  
  
"I know what you mean." Angel agreed. " With Xander still dating you, and Buffy in love with me, we pretty much have our hands full with the hiding."  
  
"* Sigh * I just wish that everyone could know about us instead of me constantly hiding behind a curtain, couch, or your bedroom." Cordy exclaimed, as she looked up at Angel with concern. "I mean, I am running out of things to break for whenever Buffy comes over to make out with you" Cordy added, trying to lighten the mood, as she smiled.  
  
"Hey, I don't appreciate all the broken objects! They were all antiques!" Angel protested, pretending to be mad. "But you don't have to worry about Buffy. She's not a threat to us." As he stroked her hair and forehead.  
  
"I know." Cordy replied. "I just feel sorry for her now, Angel. You know how much she loves you now. How much she'll always love you. And she only 17! She's not even out of high school! I don't want her to be having a rougher time, especially what she'll be going through later..." as her mind drifted to Buffy's death last year. She knew that's what Angel was thinking about too.  
  
"I know. We'll just have to try harder to act like nothing's wrong and make sure that everything that will happen as we remember. No ifs and buts." Angel decided. "We're agreed?"  
  
"Agreed." Cordy answered, as she sat up, turned her body around so that her legs would be on his lap, and rested her head on his chest, as he wrapped his arm around her to pull her closer to him. "I just hope that we find a way back home to Connor."  
  
"I know, Cordy. I know." Angel answered, desperately trying to hide his sadness for Cordy's sake and kissed her head.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED. 


	2. The Portal part II (chapters 7-12)

   
  
RECAP OF CH. 1-6: (even though you should read it in its entirety) After her date with Groo, Cordy visits Angel, when he finally tells her he loves her and she admits she feels the same way. The next day, Groo bid farewell to the gang as he goes back to Pylea. However, Groo screws up the chant and opens up another portal, which sucks both Angel and Cordy in. It takes them back to Sunnydale, three years ago, as the Scooby gang are in their last year of high school. Angel and Cordy decide to not tell anyone that they are from the future, except for Giles because they need his help. However, through the events that follow, Willow stumbles on their secret and become the only other person who knows about them. However, they have yet to discover a way back home.  
  
*****************  
  
Part II  
  
Chapter 7  
  
"It's SAT day!" Cordy declared, as she sat down at the kitchen table.  
  
Angel was sitting across from her from the small round table, as he peaked his head out from behind the newspaper that he was reading.  
  
"SATs? God! I'm glad I never had to take them in my very long lifetime." Angel said.  
  
"Hey, I do well on standardized tests! Even though I know that I did well on them, it's still kind of exciting to me. I mean, compared to the everyday meaningless high school stuff and the demon killing, this is a good, a great thing." Cordy exclaimed.  
  
"Hey, are you sure that your parents aren't worried about you these days? I mean, we've been living together this whole time since we got here…"Angel asked.  
  
"My parents are never worried about me." Cordy assured him. "They are never around to worry or even care. And you wonder why I hightailed out of this place after high school."  
  
Angel looked as her, as he was sad that she didn't really have a good relationship with her parents.  
  
"Oh I wish I could cook Angel." Cordy sighed, as she began to eat her breakfast of Eggos and syrup. "We have your kitchen and all I can make are still Eggos from a toaster and nuke blood in the microwave."  
  
"Do you want some?" Cordy offered, as she tried to convince him. "I know that you're not a foodie, but I could mix your blood with some maple syrup. I'm sure that will make it extra tasty." She then held up the mug of blood she made for him.  
  
"Alright. Anything for you." Angel answered with a smile.  
  
~Anything to see her amazing smile. If I had a heart, it would make my heart melt.  
  
*******************  
  
Willow was completely depressed about her SAT scores. How could she had done so badly?  
  
"740? Verbal?! I'm-I'm... (searches for a word) pathetic! Illiterate! I'm Cletus, the slack-jawed yokel." she declared, feeling defeated.  
  
"That's right. And the fact that your 740 verbal closely resembles my combined scores in no way compromises your position as the village idiot." Xander replied, trying very hard to cheer Willow up.  
  
"I just... Where did I go wrong?" Willow sighed in despair, as she sat close to the steps of the school.  
  
Xander sit himself down as well, and puts his arm around her to comfort her. "You did amazing, Willow. As usual." Xander softly said, as he stroked her hair.  
  
"You get your scores?" Cordy suddenly asked as both she and Oz approached them. This time, she had actually saw what had happened, but pretended not to notice.  
  
Xander then jumps up and stands, rushing over to Cordy's side.  
  
"Cordelia!" Xander exclaimed, as he pointed at Willow. "Willow was very sad by her academic failure. How did you do?" snagging her score sheet from her hands.  
  
"This is not good." Xander concluded as he read her score.  
  
"What's not good?" Cordy demanded. ~I'll have you know that's a good score!  
  
"Well, I'm just worried it may hurt my standing as campus stud when people find out I'm dating a brain." Xander responded.  
  
"Oh. Thanks." Cordy replied, as she yanked her score sheet back.  
  
"Well, I can see why you'd be upset." Oz declared, as he looked at Willow's scores.  
  
~What? Even Oz thinks I'm dumb! Willow thought, looking completely hurt and even more devastated.  
  
"That was my sarcastic voice." Oz assured her.  
  
"You know, it sounds a lot like your regular voice." Xander remarked.  
  
"I've been told that." Oz replied, as he tried to change the mood by sounding upbeat. "But we should celebrate, do something."  
  
"Like, the four of us?" Cordy asked, as she knew exactly where this conversation was going.  
  
"A double date! It could have potential." Xander said excitedly.  
  
The mood changed back to somber as Buffy approached them.  
  
"Buffy!" Willow exclaimed, with a sudden burst of joy. " Hey! Did you get your SAT scores?"  
  
Buffy nodded weakly.  
  
"By the look on your face, I'm guessing you and I are gonna be manning the drive-through window side by side." Xander concluded.  
  
"They're just test scores, right?" Buffy answered, as she hand her scores to Willow. "What do they really mean, anyway?"  
  
"1430! Buffy, you kicked ass!" Willow exclaimed, almost jumping up from her seat.  
  
Cordy's eyes widened, as she had forgotten what Buffy had gotten on the SATs ~It totally slipped my mind about Buffy's scores. She really did kick ass!  
  
"Okay," Willow declared, trying to be calm. " so academic achievement gets me a little excited."  
  
"Buff, that's amazing." Xander agreed as Buffy handed him her scores.  
  
"Let me see that." Cordy asked, as she took Buffy's scores from Xander's grasp.  
  
"Yeah. With scores like that, you can apply pretty much anywhere you want." Oz added.  
  
"Buffy, this could, like, change your whole future." Willow concluded.  
  
Cordy tried to hide her sadness as she knew that these scores wouldn't really change much about Buffy's future, as Buffy still stayed in Sunnydale and never left her duties as a slayer. ~God, being a slayer totally sucks!  
  
"Well, I think this is great! Now you can leave and never come back!" Cordy declared, trying to pretend to be as Queen C as she possibly could, getting looks from everyone, especially Willow, who knew that she was trying to cover up something.  
  
"Well, I mean that in a positive way. Get out of Sunnydale. That's a good thing. What kind of moron would ever wanna come back here?" Cordy explained. ~Why the hell did I say that… that's terrible! God I was a bitch in high school!  
  
********************  
  
"Angel? Are you home?" Cordy asked as she walked into Angel's, their place. She had spent the most of the day in the library with Giles to find the portal, but they just came up empty handed. She was feeling pretty discouraged and tired.  
  
"Angel, how come it's so dark in here? Why don't you answer me?" Cordy asked, as she noticed the curtains were completely shut and everything was pitch black that she could hardly see. She then wondered if something had happened to him.  
  
Suddenly, she saw a candle being lit and Angel approaching her as he held the candle. He then proceeded to light other candles that filled the room. All of sudden, the room lighted up, bathing their bodies under a warm glow. He then placed his candle down, walked closer to her.  
  
"Angel, what is this?" Cordy asked, completely baffled by his intentions.  
  
"Happy SAT day?" Angel replied weakly, and shrugged. Cordy's face glowed under the light of the candles and it just took his breath away. He smiled.  
  
"Oh come on! I thought you hated SATs." Cordy answered, " Now tell me what's really going on?" as she poked him in the side.  
  
"Well, I thought that since you've been suffering this whole week going to school, when I know that you don't ever want to step into that place again, I thought I should give you a little surprise." Angel answered, holding her closer to him. "Also, I thought we should celebrate our first week together since we've hadn't had the chance by way of falling through a time portal and almost getting killed by an ex-Watcher and the Glove…it's been an interesting week, don't you agree?"  
  
"I'll say. Well thank you." Cordy replied, as she gave him a big hug. "So what's my surprise, big guy?" She whispered in his ear. "I so hope that you have Jude Law stashed around here somewhere cuz I wished for him on my birthday, and he still hasn't arrived."  
  
"Oh maybe someday, Cordy." Angel chuckled, "But I hope this will tide you over, until he arrives." He then proceeded to pull out of his pocket a little box with a ribbon wrapped around it.  
  
" Oh God, Angel. I was only kidding about presents." Cordy answered, completely surprised and totally moved by the gesture.  
  
"Open it." Angel urged.  
  
Cordy slowly unwrapped the box to find a silver necklace with heart-shaped locket.  
  
"Oh, Angel!" Cordy gasped. "When did you find the time to get this?"  
  
"That's my secret to keep." Angel answered mysteriously. "Look inside."  
  
Cordy opened it to find an engaved message inside.  
  
"You make me feel alive." Cordy recited, as tears filled her eyes.  
  
"Remember what you told me in the dressing room?" Angel reminded her.  
  
Cordy nodded as the words flashed in her mind.  
  
-I'm only alive when you're inside me.  
  
"I know that we were possessed at the time," Angel explained, "But, when we got out of the room the first time, they were the only words that I could remember clearly. I know that we can never make love to each other to express the way we feel." Angel continued, feeling the hurt that they both had because of it. "But I just wanted to say, without any doubt, that just being near you, seeing you every single day, just makes me feel alive, like I'm a man again. And that is more than enough for me."  
  
"Angel…I…" Cordy stammered, completely at a lack of words.  
  
" You don't have to say anything, Cordy." Angel assured her as he looked into her eyes and wiped away her tears. "I already know what you feel. We're connected."  
  
"Angel, I love you." Cordy declared with all the love that she had to give and slowly eased in to kiss him.  
  
As she broke away, she gave him a smile, and added: "What did I do to deserve you?"  
  
"I was thinking the exact same thing." Angel answered as he bent his head down to kiss her again.  
  
************************  
  
Cordy was hardly listening to a single word that Xander was saying as she opened her locker to get some books.~Why do I even bother? She asked herself, as she picked up the books from her locker. It's not like I'm gonna actually use them at all. She just bided her time as Xander continued to chat to her. She was sure that he was trying to tell her something significant, but all she could hear was 'Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah…' The thought of Angel and his surprises last night completely took over her thoughts and nothing seemed as important.  
  
"C'mon. It'll be fun!" Xander exclaimed.  
  
"Huh? What would be fun?" Cordy asked as she finally weaned herself from thinking about Angel and actually focused her attention to Xander.  
  
"Bowling. You, me, Oz and Willow. Tomorrow night." Xander explained, wondering exactly what she was thinking of.  
  
" You know what? Why not?" Cordy answered. ~Anything is better than the ballet. At least I won't doze off with that activity… or at least I hope not.  
  
"What?" Xander answered, completely taken aback by her willingness to bowl. "I thought I would have to beg, try to convince you that bowling is classy, and beg some more."  
  
"Not everything that seems classy is great [think ballet], but I just thought that I should give bowling a chance. It might be fun." Cordy explained.  
  
"That's exactly what I was thinking!" Xander replied. "Hey! There's pictures. Of me. In your locker. I never knew I was locker door material." As he admired her locker door, clearly shocked and glad of the new developments.  
  
~Oh my God, I had completely forgotten about those pictures! Cordy thought to herself, as she looked at the pictures of them by the pier That was so long ago! I looked so young. And we did look happy.  
  
"Well... just barely." Cordy replied as she shut her locker.  
  
"Besides, I look really cute in those pictures." As she flashed him a smile. ~You know, I really did!  
  
"Is this new too?" Xander asked, as he pointed to the locket around her neck.  
  
"Oh… Oh! Yeah, I just got it from my dad." Cordy rushingly said, trying to hide the fact that she was lying through her teeth. "Well, hey! There's Oz and Willow.", as she tried to defer Xander's attention to something else.  
  
"Hey. So what's the verdict? Do we bowl?" Oz asked.  
  
"We bowl." Cordy responded.  
  
"Great! Double bowling date. I'm on Oz's team." Willow declared, as she patted Oz's chest.  
  
"Yeah? Well, prepare to be crushed." Xander answered, and then rethought what he just said. "Maybe we should practice." Looking at Cordy and taking her by the arm.  
  
"Yeah." Cordy responded, nodding in agreement.  
  
**********************  
  
Willow looked at Cordy and Xander as they walked away. It was definitely weird for her to look at them the same way. Not only because she was still feeling the strange feelings she had for Xander, but knowing that Cordelia had to play act a relationship with Xander when she knew very well that Cordelia's heart now belonged to Angel. However, Xander didn't notice a thing, and continued to act like nothing had changed.  
  
All of a sudden, her attentions turned to Oz, who was holding up something wrapped up in newspaper.  
  
"What's this?" Willow asked.  
  
"It's a gift." Oz answered plainly.  
  
"What's the occasion?" Willow asked naively, as she started to unwrapped the gift.  
  
"Pretty much *you* are." Oz replied with a smile.  
  
It was a small pez dispenser that was shaped as a witch.  
  
Willow gasped and gave Oz a somewhat hard slap on the chest.  
  
"It's a little, uh, PEZ witch!" Willow said in excitement.  
  
"It's kind of a theme present. Do you like it?" Oz asked.  
  
"I like... I-I *more* than like. Oz, this is probably the sweetest... We have to find a little PEZ werewolf, so little PEZ witch can have a boyfriend." Willow declared.  
  
"I don't think they make a werewolf PEZ. You might have to settle for a wacky cartoon dog." Oz answered.  
  
"This is… just so thoughtful" Willow answered, completely moved and filled with emotion.  
  
"Well, I think about you." Oz replied earnestly.  
  
"Oh... I don't have anything to give you." Willow suddenly said in realization.  
  
"Yeah you do." Oz replied, as he smiled at her and walked away.  
  
~No I don't. Willow sadly thought, her heart wracked with guilt. ~I've cheated on you and then you give me this great gift and what do I give in return? Nothing. Absolutely nothing! She was totally angry, afraid and guilt-ridden over what has happened between her and Xander since the homecoming. And as her thoughts traveled to Cordelia and the possibility that she might know, it made her feel even more at fault than ever! And now, they were going BOWLING! What was she going to do?  
  
*********************  
  
"Buffy, this is remarkable." Giles declared, as he looked over Buffy's scores.  
  
They were in the library as Buffy told him about her news and he told her some news of his own.  
  
"So this is it." Buffy replied, as she looked at Giles' stuff. "Where is this retreat thingy, the Yukon?"  
  
"It's quite nearby, actually." Giles answered, as he watched Buffy pick up his compass to use as a mirror. "It's, um, it's the clearing at the top of Breaker's Woods. It's the site of some fascinating druidic rituals."  
  
He had been thinking about taking this retreat for awhile now, but with Cordy and Angel asking for his help, he thought that this was the perfect time to go and research for their portal, without anyone suspecting a thing.  
  
"Okay, but you're just going for a few days, right?" Buffy asked, slightly worried. "I mean, you're not gonna settle there and grow crops or anything."  
  
"What?" Giles answered, with a feeling of slightly confusion, and then he finally clued in to what she was implying. "Oh, my gear. No, no, this is, this is basic necessities."  
  
"Giles, you pack like me." Buffy teased.  
  
He smiled, as he handed her scores back.  
  
"Your mom will want to put this on the refridgerator." He remarked.  
  
"Yeah. She saw these scores, and her head spun around and exploded." Buffy pointed out.  
  
"I-I've been on the Hellmouth too long." Giles sighed, ~I definitely need this retreat! "That was metaphorical, yes?"  
  
"Yes. She was happy." Buffy answered, reassuring Giles of what she meant.  
  
"You know, with scores like these, Buffy, you could have a first-rate education. I'm, I'm not suggesting that you... ignore your calling, but, um... you need to look to your future." Giles said as his voice faltered, thinking to Cordy and Angel and their knowledge of the future, and wondering what exactly they knew about Buffy's future and what laid ahead for her. "And with Faith here," Giles continued. "i-i-it may be that you can… move on. For a-a time, at least."  
  
"Wow." Buffy replied, surprised to say the least.  
  
"Well, let's, um, let's discuss it when I get back. I-in the meantime, um, I'd like you to continue training while I'm, while I'm gone, and, um, please don't do anything rash…" Giles said, in a slightly worried tone.  
  
"'Anything rash', meaning..." Buffy asked, as she was trying to figure out what exactly he was getting at.  
  
"Are you planning on seeing Angel?" Giles spitted out.  
  
"Yes. Actually, I am." Buffy answered honestly. "Look, but there's not gonna be any rash." ~Why did I have to mention rash? "Anywhere. Okay. We're, we're friends. That's all either of us wants. Nothing's gonna happen."  
  
Giles knew that nothing was going to happen between them. He knew that because of Cordy, but what he was worried about was Buffy. What if she were to walk in on them unexpectedly? She may say that she thinks of them as 'just friends', but he knew very well how much she really loved him. He just didn't know how she would take it if she found out that Angel (at least the Angel from the future) didn't love her anymore.  
  
**********************  
  
"Something's gonna happen." Willow concluded to Xander, as they were walking down the hallway.  
  
"Like what?" Xander asked, completely clueless.  
  
"Uh! It's a mistake! It's a terrible, fatal mistake. I see that now." Willow explained.  
  
"It's just bowling." Xander remarked.  
  
"It's *bad* bowling. I-it's a double date, with all of us, and they're gonna know! [if they don't know already]" Willow explained again.  
  
"How are they gonna know?" Xander asked.  
  
"It's a very intimate situation. It's all sexy with the smoke and the sweating and the shoe rental..." Willow said, as her voice trailed, thinking of the smoke, sweating and…Xander.  
  
"You're turned on by rented shoes?" Xander asked, clearly intrigued.  
  
"That's not the issue." Willow replied, waking up from her daze.  
  
" Okay, well, let me ask you this: what are they gonna know? That we're friends. Old, old friends. And maybe we've had one or two indiscretions, but that's all past. Look. We're just very good friends who like to hang out, and can I kiss your earlobe?" Xander asked softly.  
  
"No! Well, okay." Willow answered, and then jerked away. " No!" Willow holds up the dispenser "PEZ!" ~Think about Oz… think about Cordelia!  
  
"Maybe bowling might be too much to handle. Man!" Xander replied, as he stroked her hair. "I wish I wasn't so attracted to you.I wish we could make it all stop."  
  
"Any suggestions?" Willow asked softly, as she had no clue on how to fix their problem.  
  
**********************  
  
It was a dark and somber night. Outside of the mansion, it seemed as if everything stood still and all would remain quiet. However, through the trees and beneath the shadows, a dark stranger appeared. The figure moved in a quite clumsy fashion, however remained relatively quiet as he walked closer and closer towards the mansion.  
  
Although the stranger had arrived in town the previous night, no one else had been aware of his presence. He was biding his time, waiting for the right moment to appear. He had big plans. Very big plans indeed. ~I'm going to show all those fools what I'm really made of! He thought to himself, as took another drag at his cigarette before throwing to the ground. ~ Especially to that idiot inside with the nancy boy haircut. I'll show him a thing or two! And as his face appeared in the moonlight, it was obvious what his intentions were: Spike was back and he was going to get back the woman he loved! And while he was there, he might as well beat the crap out of Angel, the poof bastard.  
  
**************************  
  
Chapter 8  
  
   
  
Spike had been drinking very heavily since he had gotten back to Sunnydale. Come to think of it, he had been drinking constantly ever since Druscilla had abandoned him. Even though he was heavily intoxicated, it didn't prevent him to find Angel's mansion in the middle of the night, since he had a lot of things to square away with him.  
  
As he approached the mansion, he spied through a crack in the house made by boards that were carelessly nailed on in a haphazard fashion. He peered in to look at his lifelong nemesis.  
  
Angel was sitting there reading, of all things, perfectly still and completely immersed in his book.  
  
~Stupid fucking poof! Reading…what the bleeding hell are you reading for?~ Spike thought to himself as he chugged down another gulp of brandy from the bottle he had in his hand.  
  
All of sudden, he noticed that Angel wasn't alone.There was definitely someone there with him. ~Probably stupid Buffy. What a bunch of idiots, always making gaa gaa eyes at each to other. Make me want to heave.~  
  
However, to his amazement, the person coming into view was not at all Buffy. Spike then rubbed his eyes as he tried to focus on the person there, still not completely sure of what he was seeing before him.  
  
~Cheerleader?  
  
************  
  
"What are you doing?" Cordy asked him as she approached him to offer him his usual mug of blood for the night.  
  
"Oh, I'm just reading." Angel answered absently, as he was still totally concentrated on the novel"  
  
" 'La Nausea' by Jean Paul Sartre " Cordy read outloud as she looked at the cover of the novel. "Angel…" Cordy whined. "Why are reading that?"  
  
"It's interesting" Angel insisted. "It's a classic, Cordy."  
  
"Come on!" Cordy pleaded, as she began to take Angel's arm to pull him off the chair. "Can't you read something more, I don't know, livelier, more fun?"  
  
"Honey, this is fun to me." Angel replied, not even looking up to look at her in the face.  
  
"Oh please! You honestly will have me believe that this book is belly of laughs?" Cordy asked.  
  
"No, I didn't say that, but I do find it fascinating." Angel answered back.  
  
"And this coming from a guy who cries over the most boring thing in the world: a Ballet!" Cordy reminded him.  
  
"Oh come on Cordy! 'Gisele' was a classic! Of course I cried like a baby, even though I was super evil vampire! Cordy, you just don't know fun when you see it." Angel replied.  
  
"I don't know fun? Oh I know a hell of a lot more about fun! I practically invented the word 'fun'." Cordy declared defiantly.  
  
"Oh yeah?" Angel replied, finally looking up from his book, clearly intrigued by her claim. "Prove it!"  
  
"Well, first of all, we are getting rid of this book!" Cordy declared, as she ripped the book from Angel's clutches and threw the book outside, almost hitting Spike's head in the process.  
  
~Watch it girly!~ Spike thought as he ducked his head, clearly annoyed.  
  
"Hey, I was reading that!" Angel answered, his arms crossing.  
  
"No books, broody boy." Cordy exclaimed. "Now we do this," as she uncrossed his arms and put them to his sides. "Wait here." She then proceeded to get something from the bedroom.  
  
"Cordy?" Angel asked, completely uncertain with what the hell she was coming up with.  
  
"I'm back!" Cordy answered from behind. "Now you have to trust me, okay?" She then proceeded to blindfold him with a scarf that she had.  
  
"Cordy, come on! I can't see a thing!" Angel replied, trying to take the blindfold off of his eyes.  
  
"Nope! Take your hands off of it mister! You told me that I didn't know what fun is and well, I'm trying to prove my point here, so just hang on, okay."  
  
"Fine!" Angel replied, kind of annoyed, and then proceeded to cross his arms again. "But I know I'm not gonna like it."  
  
"Sure you say that now, but don't you fret…you're gonna like my surprise." Cordy answered.  
  
She then uncrossed him arms again, put them to his sides, and then made him stand.  
  
"Where are we going?" Angel asked, kind of scared.  
  
"oh, not very far… just to the couch." Cordy assured him.  
  
She then made him sit on the couch. Afterwards, she proceeded to climb on his lap, to sit face to face with him.  
  
"Cordy…" Angel said, as his defenses began to wane as he felt her weight pressing down on his thighs. He then began to smile.  
  
"Hey surprise…" Cordy said softly, in a very sexy voice, as she whispered in his ear and proceed to lick his earlobe in the most gentlest and skilled manner.  
  
Angel began to literally shiver at gesture. "Cordy..." he moaned, as he pulled her closer to him.  
  
"You're gonna pay for saying that I wasn't fun." Cordy whispered again in his ear. As she whispered, he could hear tear open a package. RIP!  
  
"Cordy, you know we can't do…." Angel began to speak, though his voice faltered at the end.  
  
"Silly boy," Cordy answered. "Do guys only think about sex? It is so not what you're thinking… but it's pretty fun, I think."  
  
It was a package of blueberry Pop Rocks. She then proceed to empty some of it into her mouth "Open wide!" Cordy whispered. "Cuz you're getting a big surprise." She then gave him a long kiss, almost attempting to suck his mouth dry.  
  
~What the hell is that?~ Angel thought as he felt the crystals start to pop on his tongue. He couldn't really taste it, guessing it was sweet, but my God is was like an explosion in his mouth like no other, as his and Cordy's tongues darted one another as they began to paw at one another.  
  
Finally Cordy broke away. "So, you like?" she asked, as she looked at the expression on his face.  
  
"Definitely more fun than reading." Angel agreed as tried to motion her to kiss him again.  
  
"Wait…so are you saying that I'm fun?" Cordy asked, demanding for proclamation.  
  
"YES! You are fun! You are the queen of fun! Now we continue with the kissing again? And do whatever you were doing before, cause I loved it." Angel declared.  
  
"WHOO WHO! I won!" Cordy exclaimed with joy, and then calmed down. "Now we can commence the kissing." As she empty some more Pop Rocks into her mouth and kissed him again.  
  
****************  
  
~I definitely want to heave now~ Spike thought as he looked on with disgust. And it wasn't the brandy talking either, though he did feel like he was going to regret tomorrow when he gets the usual 'stake me now' hangover, but more importantly, he was just appalled by the scene he had just saw, as well as confused.  
  
~ I thought he was all sobby and lovesick for the Slayer!~ Spike thought to himself. ~But I guess he's moved on. I guess I don't totally blame him since his last shag did try to send him to hell.~  
  
~But what is it with that poof and ex-cheerleaders? Does being a complete twit and gaining a soul forces one to have an uncontrollable attraction towards cheerleaders? To become complete and utter love slave to them? Be a whippin' boy? I fucking hope I never become that pathetic!~  
  
Even though, he did want to go into a corner and puke his guts out, he did have to give the girl some respect. At least she threw out his shitty novel out the window. At least she did that right. Though as he looked at them and saw how much in love they were, he couldn't help but think about Dru and his love for her. This made him grew angrier and angrier towards the vampire he was glaring at, as he recalled all the horrid things he had done to tear him and Dru apart and now he was back and in love.  
  
"We were happy!" Spike exclaimed. "You brainwashed her. I could just..." He then took another giant swig of Brandy. "Yeah, I'll show * you * who's a cool guy…You're going down."  
  
As he finshed his sentence, he began to walk away from the window, and as he was completely wasted, he accidentally tripped on one of the flower beds, and passes out.  
  
****************  
  
Angel began to feel under Cordy's skirt to touch her between her thighs and then proceeded to slowly finger under her panties. His blindfold was still on, but after 250 odd years of living, he had enough experience to know where to go.  
  
"Angel…"Cordy began to moan, as began touch her closer and closer to that spot. "Angel don't stop!"  
  
"I wasn't planning on…"Angel answered  
  
"Stop, Angel! Stop!" Cordy cried out suddenly, stopping him in a halt.  
  
"What?" Angel asked. "Did I do something wrong?"  
  
"No Angel." Cordy assured him. "Nothing like that. Angel…" she began to whisper in his ear. " I think I just saw Spike pass by."  
  
"Spike?" Angel answered, as the mention of that name got him fired up. He began to look around, but as his blindfold was still on, he saw nothing. "Where the hell is he?"  
  
"Shh!" Cordy answered. "He might still be out there."  
  
"Let me at him!" Angel answered, ready to rumble.  
  
"No Angel! Stop!" Cordy replied, pushing her weight down on his legs to stop him from budging. "You know why he's here. He just broke up with Dru and he's heartbroken. You know that he only stayed a couple of days and basically left. At least for a year."  
  
"But…"Angel protested.  
  
"Angel, you know what we said about making changes. We can't do that." Cordy replied gently. "So even though you want to jump up and start a brawl with him, you can't right now cuz you need everything to happen the way that it did and that night, you did not have a fight with Spike, okay? That happens tomorrow."  
  
"Fine." Angel answered grudgingly.  
  
Then Cordy proceeded to stand up.  
  
"Hey, where are you going?" Angel asked. "You're not gonna just leave me here all blindfolded, are you?" he gave her a smile.  
  
"No…" Cordy giggled. "I'm gonna guide you to bedroom, where we shall proceed to.. finish what we started."  
  
Angel then gave her the biggest smile he could have as Cordy began to lead him upstairs.  
  
***********************  
  
"College, huh?" Angel asked, as he looked at all the college brochures that were scattered on Buffy's lap.  
  
"Higher education. Kind of an intense proposition." Buffy answered.  
  
It was after school the very next day, and Buffy had paid a visit because she wanted to give Angel the good news about her SAT scores. Angel, of course, had already been reminded of everything because of Cordy, so it was hard just to pretend that he was surprised.  
  
Instead of taking them by surprise this time, Angel and Cordy had anticipated her visit, and did what they could to prepare before her arrival. Cordy had gotten home from school early so that she could get home before Buffy did and both Angel and Cordy had scrambled to hide every single possible thing that they could think of that belonged to Cordy so that Buffy wouldn't suspect anything out of the ordinary.  
  
This time, Cordy remained upstairs in the bedroom, insteading cowering by the sofa. Not only was she disinterested in what Buffy would do, but she had to get ready for her double date. The mention of a 'date' kinda made Angel crazy, even though he knew that it didn't mean anything. He just didn't like Xander since he was 'dating' Cordy and also because he knew that Xander was cheating on her and that made him even more despicable in his eyes.  
  
"Where do you wanna go?" Angel asked, just to humour her.  
  
"I have no idea. My mom was the one that got all these. She's so excited, she can't stop talking about it." Buffy replied, as Angel sat across from her. " I had a really hard time coming up with an alibi so I could come over here."  
  
~Joyce!~ Angel thought to himself, as the memory of her death filled his mind. He quickly tried to hide the pain that he felt as heard that name. He had wanted to be there sooner for Buffy once he had heard about Joyce, but it wasn't possible. He remembered that Joyce was really that fond of him at any time, but he had to thank her for not only being a wonderful woman and mother to Buffy, but also for convincing him to walk away from Buffy when she knew that Buffy needed to go on without him. He was especially glad about Joyce's plea now, cause if she hadn't, he would have never left Sunnydale, and gone to LA, where he wouldn't have met Cordy again, his reason for living at all in this world. His best friend. His girlfriend. The love of his life.  
  
"She doesn't know about me." Angel realized as he remembered the circumstances that they had been in.  
  
"Big no. She's having enough trouble dealing with the Slayer issue. I don't think she's ready to process the information that... you and I are friends again. Anyway, I think this college jones is just a reaction to the whole Slayer thing." Buffy explained.  
  
~Friends…~ he thought to himself. He hoped that they were friends. It seemed like a strange word to described their relationship, now that he could think back and remember clearly. He remembered how much they had tried to convince themselves tha they were friends at that time, but were they ever friends to begin with?  
  
Although, he will probably always love Buffy in some way or another, he had hoped that she was serious about the being friends thing. ~Sounds like a nice concept.~  
  
"She wants you to get out." Angel answered.  
  
"Someplace a little less Hellmouthy." Buffy replied with a nod. "She has a point. Y'know, but there are reasons to stay, too."  
  
"What are they?" Angel asked as if he didn't already know the answer.  
  
"Um... you know, there's my Slayer duties, obviously. What do you think I should do?" Buffy remarked, even though she was surprised that he didn't clue into what she really meant.  
  
"As a friend, I..." Angel replied, as he got up. "I think that you should leave. This is a good opportunity for you."  
  
He then stood by the fireplace, and was facing away from Buffy. Although he had meant what he said all those years ago, he knew that when he said it the first time, a part of him didn't want her to leave at all. He wanted her to stay with him forever. But now, after all that had happened and now that he could truly be friends with her, when he advised her to leave, he had meant it with all of his soul. But he also unfortunately knew that leaving Sunnydale would never be in the cards for her. That she would remain in Sunnydale. ~Maybe someday you'll be able to leave Buffy ~ Angel thought, as he felt her eyes staring at him.  
  
"Yeah. It's not like there's any great thing keeping me here." Buffy answered, as if she didn't care.  
  
Angel turned around as he watched trying to stuff her brochures in her bag as quickly as possible, just to get out as fast as she could. He knew what he said hurt and he also knew that even after 3 years, Buffy would never truly understand why he left her, but he knew that it was the right thing to do.  
  
"Thanks for the advice. It's another perspective to consider." Buffy said quickly as she put her bag on one shoulder, trying not to meet his eyes.  
  
"Where are you going? You just got here. It's early." Angel remarked. He really didn't want her to leave. He wanted her to stay a little longer so that he could get to know her. He had realized that he never really knew Buffy the person. All that he had known about her was that she was the first girl that he ever loved. Nothing more, nothing less. But now, since he was stuck in this predicament, he thought that maybe now was a good a time as any to finally know how Buffy clicked. Also, Cordy would be leaving soon, and it would be nice to have some company while she was gone.  
  
"Yeah, well, my mom starts worrying a lot earlier these days. I'll stop by soon." Buffy replied, as she walked out, without even looking at him.  
  
Angel just watched as she left. ~I don't ever think I'll ever know who she really is,~ He thought in sadness.  
  
*********************  
  
"Whoa! It smells like church in here." Xander declared, as he approached Willow. "No, wait... Evil church."  
  
Xander had just arrived to meet Willow at the science room. She had called everybody to tell them to all meet up here for their big 'double date'. ~I hope to God that everything will go as planned.  
  
"It's just chemistry stuff. An experiment." Willow explained, although she never moved from her spot, as she was deeply concentrated on the task at hand.  
  
"So you said when you called. Why do I have to be here?" Xander asked, as he was still confused on Willow's instance to meet up in a science room.  
  
"It'll help you on the exam. You're way behind." Willow replied quickly, trying to hide her intent.  
  
" But that's why you love me, right?" Xander answered back, with a sexy look. "Academically dangerous?"  
  
"Here. Hold this." Willow declared, completely ignoring his comment, and handing him a raven feather.  
  
"A feather. And who will I be tickling?" Xander asked coyly. ~I never knew how kinky Willow can be! He then brushed the feather lightly on her cheek to tell her that he got it.  
  
For a moment, Willow was completely taken by Xander's feather tickling, and was about to be lost in the moment, but then her mind focused back on reality and she pushed his hand aside.  
  
"Shush." Willow warned. She had gone to the magic shop earlier that day for supplies and she had hoped to God that she was doing it right. "Okay. Bring mixture to a boil..." as she double checked the directions in her magic book.  
  
"I assume this isn't going to make us late for our evening of bowling magic?" Xander asked.  
  
"There's no magic!" Willow answered in defense, as she jerked up at the mention of the word. "I mean, bowling, yeah."  
  
"Can we turn these lights on?" Xander asked.  
  
He was trying to take a closer look at the book that Willow was studying from, since it looked awfully familiar, but with it being dark and every… ~Hey wait a minute!~  
  
"Is that a spell book?" Xander asked, slowly clueing in.  
  
"No, no, no! Chemistry book." Willow answered quickly, as she tried to block the book from Xander's view.  
  
"Wait a minute. This is love spell stuff! You're doing a love spell?" Xander exclaimed in realization.  
  
"No! Of course not! This is a purely scientific..." Willow said, trying to cover again.  
  
~Yeah right! Scientific … he smirked, as he pointed clearly the tile of the book "Witchcraft"  
  
"...de-lusting spell... for us. I thought it would go better if you didn't know." Willow finally admitted.  
  
"Are you nuts, or have you forgotten that I tend to have bad luck with these sorts of spells?" Xander yelled, as he heard Willow's admission. Then he flashed back to the time he tried to cast a love spell to make Cordelia love him and it turned out to be a disaster. Not only did Buffy, Willow, and every other girl he knew had hunt him down like an animal for him to be their love slave, the spell had no effect on Cordelia whatsoever. Though he had to smile at the memory of finding Willow in his bed, with only his shirt on, pushing him forcefully onto his bedroom door and proceeded to lick his earlobes…~Oh God, was she ever sexy then…she's even more sexy now…  
  
"But you said you wished that these feelings could just go away." Willow yelled back.  
  
Xander's mind refocused again. "Yeah, I wish for a *lot* of things! I told you I wished I was a fireman when we were in sixth grade, but you didn't follow through on that!" he declared, trying to find any excuse to prove his point.  
  
"I can't do this anymore, Xander! I mean, this whole 'us' thing is... bleagh!" Willow replied. She didn't mean to say 'beagh' but she had to as she thought to sweet Oz and to Cordelia, who probably already knows about this whole crazy thing.  
  
"So, do you really need to resort to the black arts to keep our hormones in check?" Xander asked, clearly hurt by the 'bleagh'.  
  
"At this point, I'm thinking 'no'." Willow calmly answered.  
  
"I'm gonna get the lights," Xander decided, as he walked towards the light switches, "clean this place up before they get here and start asking questions." He then clicked them on.  
  
Out of nowhere, Spike appeared and grabbed Xander by the neck to choke him.  
  
"Xander!" Willow cried out, as she saw Xander totally defenceless against Spike.  
  
****************  
  
Chapter 9  
  
   
  
"A spell. For me. You're gonna do a spell for me." Spike declared.  
  
He had just taken Willow and Xander to his factory. He then proceed to dump a whole bunch of supplies on the bed where Xander laid, still unconscious from the blow to the head Spike gave him.  
  
"Uh, what kind of a spell?" Willow asked weakly.  
  
"A *love* spell! Are you brain dead?" Spike yelled, as he went to his dresser to fetch another bottle of Brandy. "I'm gonna get what's mine. What's mine. Teach  
  
her to walk out on me."  
  
He takes a couple of swigs from the bottle, determined to get even more drunk than last night. Even though he had a little mishap that morning, almost being burned to a crisp, he still needed to get really drunk, especially to wipe away the memory of Angel and that cheerleader. ~I do anything to get rid of the memory of that tart straddling that stupid poof. Stake me, I don't care!~  
  
"You can do it, right? You can make Dru love me again? Make her crawl!" Spike demanded. ~I mean, if Angel can get that perky cheerleader to love him despite the fact that he's bloody stupid, of course Dru can love me again!~  
  
"I-I can try." Willow stammered, completely afraid.  
  
"What are you talking about, trying? You'll do it! Spike yelled, as he grabbed her neck.  
  
"Yes, I'll do it!" Willow yelled back, trying not to choke under his grip.  
  
Spike then smashed the bottle of brandy in his hand and held it to her face. "You lie to me, and I'll shove this through your face! You want that?" Spike threatened.  
  
"No!" Willow cried out, as she began to sob in fear.  
  
"Right through to your BRAIN!" Spike threatened more fiercely.  
  
"No, please, no..." Willow wailed, as she cried even more.  
  
Spike then suddenly shoves her aside, and sits down. His expression changed from anger to sadness.  
  
"She wouldn't even kill me. She just left. She didn't even care enough to cut off my head or set me on fire." Spike explained, as he sniffled. "I mean, is that too much to ask? You know? Some little sign that she cared?" * Sigh * "It was that truce with Buffy that did it. Dru said I'd gone soft. Wasn't demon enough for the likes of her. And I told her it didn't mean anything, I was thinking of her the whole time, but she didn't care. So, we got to Brazil, and she was... she was just different. I gave her everything: beautiful jewels, beautiful dresses with beautiful girls in them, but nothing made her happy. And she would fliiirt!" Spike further recounted, as he sniffled some more, pained by the memory. "I caught her on a park bench, making out with a *chaos* demon! Have you ever seen a chaos demon? They're all slime and antlers. They're disgusting!"  
  
Then he began to look up at Willow, who was sitting next to him and listening with concern his sob story. He then began to stroke Willow's hair as he continued.  
  
"She only did it to hurt me." Spike explained as he took his hand off of her "So I said, 'I'm not putting up with this anymore.' And she said, 'Fine!' And I said, 'Yeah, I've got an unlife, you know!' And then she said... she said we could still be friends." As he mentioned the word, he began to break down and started to crying uncontrollably on Willow's shoulder. " God, I'm so unhappy!"  
  
"There, there." Willow answered, trying to pat Spike on the knee, not knowing what to say. ~I've never had a vampire cry on me like that! This is a first…~  
  
"I mean, friends! How could she be so cruel?" Spike added, as the mere mention of the word was poison to him. Then he began to look up and saw her neck.  
  
"Mmm. That smell... Your neck..." Spike said softly, as he began to inhale her more deeply. ~Red is sure looking might cute tonight with that fuzzy pink number and that beautiful neck…I could just eat right…~  
  
He then changed into his game face.  
  
" I haven't had a woman in weeks." Spike admitted.  
  
"Whoa! No! Hold it!" Willow said as she panicked at the situation.  
  
"Well, unless you count that shopkeeper." Spike added, forgetting about the shopkeeper from the magic shop where he first saw Willow.  
  
"Now, now, hold on! I-I'll do your spell for you, and, and, and I'll get you Drusilla back, but, but there will be no bottle-in-face, and there will be no 'having' of any kind with me. Alright?" Willow replied, trying to clearly explain her terms.  
  
"Alright." Spike agreed, as he shoved Willow away. " Get started."  
  
"Now, I'm not a real witch, you know. I-I don't know if this is gonna work right away." Willow explained gently.  
  
"Well, if at first you don't succeed, I'll kill him," Spike commanded, as he pointed to Xander, " and you try again."  
  
"This isn't enough." Willow exclaimed, as she looked at all the supplies before her.  
  
"What?" Spike yelled.  
  
"Well, there are other ingredients, a-and a-a-a book. I need a, a spell book. This isn't it." Willow tried to explained, as she tried to calm him down.  
  
"You've got one, though, at home?" Spike asked.  
  
"Not at home. I left it somewhere." Willow explained.  
  
"Where?" Spike demanded, as he stared violently into Red's eyes.  
  
****************************  
  
"Thank God you are here." Cordy said. ~Why did I just say that? You knew that she would be here…this is your second time around at this, remember?~  
  
"Yeah! Not all of us have dates tonight." Buffy answered, slightly bitter that she was not out tonight…with Angel.  
  
"Something's up." Oz explained.  
  
****************************  
  
Oz, Cordelia and Buffy were all in the science room now as they saw the room in a complete mess.  
  
"We were supposed to meet in here. I don't know what could have happened." Cordy lied.~Of course you know what happens! Spike kidnapped them both and have taken them to the factory!~  
  
"What is all this stuff? I'm thinking weird science." Buffy remarked.  
  
"Was Willow messing with her magic tricks again? Maybe they disappeared. Maybe she turned Xander into something ishy!" Cordy replied. ~I wonder what Willow was really up to here…~  
  
"Whatever happened, there was obviously a fight." Buffy answered, as she scanned the room.  
  
"I don't see any blood." Oz observed.  
  
"Yeah, either they were taken, or they ran, or maybe..." Buffy deduced.  
  
"You're having too many ors! Pick one!" Cordy blurted, trying to act as concerned as possible.  
  
"I don't know. I need you guys to find Giles, okay? I'm gonna look for them. Maybe they didn't get too far." Buffy concluded.  
  
"Where is Giles?" Cordy asked innocently as she continued to act clueless.  
  
"Uh, he's at a retreat in the clearing in Breaker's Woods." Buffy answered quickly.  
  
"Yeah, I know the spot, but it's like a forty-five minute drive." Oz replied.  
  
"So motor!" Buffy commanded.  
  
*******************  
  
Angel was strolling towards Buffy's house. Ever since he had gotten here, he had never once gone by in its general direction. It seemed odd to him now, and he felt uneasy. However, he knew that he had to go because it was somewhere he needed to be and soon.  
  
As he approached the open side door of the kitchen, he noticed Spike sitting there enjoying a cup of something with Joyce. It made him sad and somewhat uncomfortable to see Joyce there. It was a very weird feeling to see someone, healthy and living, right there in front of him, when he knew that she had passed away. It also made him sad to know that despite the fact that Spike was pure evil in his mind, he had always been envious of Spike's relationship with Buffy's mom. She always liked Spike much more and carried a soft spot for him, while ever since he had walked into Buffy's life, he could always remember a constant struggle to get Joyce to even like him. ~ I don't blame her. I mean, how would I react if Connor was 17 and dating a person a hundred times older than him… I'd go crazy!~ It was so interesting nowadays the perspective that he had since becoming a father. The word itself saddened to no end, as he missed his little boy ever so much and longed to hold him once more.  
  
He then proceeded to walk out of the shadows and waited to be greeted in the same fashion as always.  
  
"Oh, my God. Get out of here!" Joyce gasped, jumping out of her chair.  
  
"Yeah. You're not invited." Spike taunted.  
  
"He's crazy. He'll kill us." Joyce insisted, as she stood there in fear.  
  
"Not while I breathe. Well, actually, I don't breathe." Spike explains, as he continued to taunt Angel with his eyes. ~See stupid poof? Where does your moronic ways get you now, huh?  
  
"Joyce, listen to me." Angel said calmly, hoping that she would see the new Angel.  
  
"You get out of this house, or I will stake you myself." Joyce threatened, not seeing anything different from this Angel.  
  
"You're a very bad man." Spike replied, in a slight state of enjoyment. ~I would KILL to see that!~  
  
"Joyce, please invite me in." Angel said calmly.  
  
Spike makes like he's going to bite Joyce, but is disappointed not to get any reaction from Angel.  
  
~You would never bite Joyce! Angel thought to himself. Spike was way to fond of Joyce to do such a thing. What he was worried about was Spike's knowledge about him and Cordy. That was something that bothered him, especially if he ever mentions it to Buf…  
  
"Argh!" Spike muttered, as Buffy rushed in, pinned him down on the kitchen island and grabbed him immediately by the throat.  
  
"Angel, why don't you come on in?" Buffy said, as Angel slowly walked in.  
  
"Oh! Oh, no!" Joyce exclaimed as she began to really panic. She then moved as far away from Angel as possible.  
  
Angel just sighed in disappointment at the gesture.  
  
"You shouldn't have come back, Spike." Buffy declared, still holding Spike down.  
  
"I do what I please." Spike said defiantly.  
  
"Okay, I'm confused now." Joyce said.  
  
As Spike makes a move for Buffy's arm, Angel pins his arm down. Buffy then grabbed for the nearest wooden spoon and goes in to stake him.  
  
"Willow!" Spike blurts out.  
  
"You took Willow." Buffy answered, realizing the gravity of the situation.  
  
"You do me now, you'll never find the little witch." Spike added.  
  
"Willow's a witch?" Joyce asked, completely baffled by the situation.  
  
"And Xander?" Buffy questions further.  
  
"Him, too." Spike replied.  
  
"What, Xander's a witch? I..." Joyce was still not getting any clarity over the situation.  
  
"Where are they?" Angel demanded, putting on his best tough guy impersonation.  
  
"Doesn't work like that, peaches. And when did you become all soul-having again? I thought you outgrew that." Spike answered, looking at Angel and giving him a knowing wink, as to say that 'I thought you outgrew your little girly cheerleading phase.' Angel just glared at him in disgust. Spike then turned back his attention towards Buffy.  
  
"Your friend's gonna work a little magic for me. She does my spell, I let them both go."  
  
"You're not famous for keeping your promises, Spike." Buffy reminded him.  
  
"Well, you and your 'great poof' here wanna tag along, that's fine. But you get in my way, and *you* kill your friends." Spike answered in a threatening tone.  
  
***************  
  
"What if they were kidnapped by Colombian drug lords? They could be cutting off Xander's ear right now! Or other parts!" Cordy exclaimed, trying to show as much irrational thinking as possible. ~Just think of Fred now… if anyone has crazy thought processes, it'll be her.~  
  
Oz suddenly brings the van to a halt as he sniffs the air.  
  
"Hello?" Cordy wondered.  
  
"It's Willow. She's nearby." Oz replied as he began to sniff the air some more.  
  
" What? You can smell her? She doesn't even wear perfume." Cordy insisted.  
  
"She's afraid." Oz remarked, with a look of worry on his face. He then proceeds to put the van in reverse and go into the opposite direction.  
  
"Oh, my God. Is this some sort of residual werewolf thing?" Cordy asked. "You know, before I would have been surprised at this, or maybe even freaked out, but now it's more like I'm feeling comforted and creeped out at the same time…I think it's kinda cool."  
  
Oz gave her a surprised look, but appreciates her comment. "Thanks."  
  
Cordy continued to look at him with awe. She could really see how much Oz really loved Willow and was continually saddened by the ever close moment when Oz would see Willow and Xander. It broke her heart thinking about it since she knew how good Oz treated Willow, even after he made up with her. She had never really understood the meaning of love when she was in high school, but now, when she had actually found someone and she was really in love, it completely killed her to see how devoted Oz was and the fact that she couldn't save him from the imminent pain that he would suffer.  
  
"You really love her, don't you?" Cordy asked.  
  
"Yeah I do." Oz answered simply, giving her a little smile, as he turned his attention on the road.  
  
Cordy also had to turn her attention something else too. Something that had been bothering her the whole day, anticipating the date. It had been really hard to know what was going to happen to everyone, but now as she sat there quietly as Oz drove on, she had to mentally prepare for the events that were about to unfold.  
  
*********************  
  
Chapter 10  
  
   
  
"Look, I just need a few supplies, and then I'll take you to..." Spike groans as he grabs his head. "Oh, God."  
  
"What's wrong? Not that I care." Buffy asked, as she tried to pretend that she wasn't concerned.  
  
"Oh... My head. I think I'm sobering up." Spike explained, as he began getting flashes of the events that happened last night, with the straddling and the tonguing…. The whole thing was making him want to heave right there. "It's horrible!" Spike cried out, as he tried to block it from his mind "Oh, God. I wish I was dead." ~Anything to get that picture of the cheerleader and the poof out of my mind! Why can't you think of anything else?!~  
  
"Well, if you close your eyes and wish real hard..." Buffy offered as she pulled a stake out.  
  
~Hey I'm wishing! I'm wish… "Hey! Back off!" Spike suddenly answered, realizing what he had thought about and wondered how desperate he really was.  
  
"Buffy, we still need him to find the others." Angel said calmly, trying to stand between them. ~Especially Cordy… Cordy? Where are you? I really hope you're okay!  
  
"Need him? He's probably just got them locked up in the factory." Buffy answered very matter of factly.  
  
"Well, hey, how thick do you think I am?" Spike scoffed, trying to hide the fact that she was right ~Slayer, why do always have to get the best of me? I don't understand why I even put up with you!  
  
As Angel, Buffy and Spike continued to walk towards the magic shop, they encounter a street bench, where suddenly Spike is filled with memories.  
  
"Oh God." Spike exclaims.  
  
"Now what?" Angel asked.  
  
"We killed a homeless man on this bench. Me and Dru. Those were good times." Spike sighed as he sat on the bench. "You know, he begged for mercy, and you know, that only made her bite harder."  
  
"Well, I'm glad that you are enjoying your walk down memory lane, but I don't have time for this! "Buffy declared as she tried to pull Spike up from the bench.  
  
"Hey!" Spike yells as he resents the forced pull. "You know, funny you should mention memories, Buffy, cause I have a story for you…something about a certain someone, let say straddling another certain someone…" Spike continued as he began to fumble around the details, angering Angel, and making Buffy ponder what the hell he was talking about.  
  
"What the hell are you yammering on about this time Spike?" Buffy asked in annoyance.  
  
"Don't listen to him Buffy." Angel quickly interjected, "He's just babbling on about some garbage about him and Dru." He was desperate to get off the subject, and especially to shut Spike's big mouth. "Hey Buffy! There's the magic shop!" As he pointed towards the shop up ahead.  
  
Buffy then proceeded as Spike and Angel trailed behind.  
  
"Why don't you shut the hell up?" Angel threatened.  
  
"Why don't you make me?" Spike threatened back as he continued to walk on. "I'm sure Buffy would LOVE to hear my story with all the details, especially with the moaning and groaning I heard last night!" as he gave him a devilish smile before catching up with Buffy.  
  
***************************  
  
As Buffy, Spike and Angel all walked into the magic shop, they saw what could only be Spike's handywork.  
  
"Your work?" Buffy asked, although it was a pretty redundant question.  
  
"Here's your list." Spike declared as he hands the list of supplies he needed.  
  
"'Essence of violet, cloves...'"Buffy started to recite. "Angel?"  
  
Angel was completely deep in thought about how Cordy was doing and how to handle Spike. He then woke out of his reverie as Buffy spoke.  
  
"Right." He answered, as he went about his way to search for the ingredients.  
  
" 'Set of runic tablets.' Spike can get the rat's eyes." Buffy said.  
  
With the mention of rats, Spike once again thought about Dru.  
  
"I used to bring her rats. With the morning paper." Spike sighed.  
  
" Great. More moping. That's gonna get her back." Buffy said in a sarcastic manner.  
  
"The spell's gonna get her back." Spike assured her.  
  
"Lot of trouble for somebody who doesn't even care about you." Angel suddenly remarked. He knew that he shouldn't aggravate Spike even further, but he couldn't resist.  
  
"Shut your gob!" Spike yelled.  
  
"She really is just kind of fickle." Angel continued, not being able to resist the temptation.  
  
"SHUT UP!" Spike yelled again. ~ THAT IT! HE'S GONNA GET WHAT'S COMING TO HIM!  
  
With that, he ran up to Angel and tries to punch him in the face. WHACK! Angel then grabs his arm before he could do it again. Buffy then proceeds to knock Spike to the floor.  
  
"What do you know?" Spike declares as he stands up. "It's your fault, the both of you! She belongs with me." He then proceeds to break and starts to sob. "I'm nothing without her."  
  
"That I'll have to agree with. You're pathetic, you know that? You're not even a loser anymore, you're a shell of a loser." Buffy concluded.  
  
"Yeah. You're one to talk." Spike adds.  
  
~Oh God! Here it comes! Angel thought in agony.  
  
"Meaning?" Buffy demanded.  
  
"The last time I looked in on you two, you were fighting him to the death. Now you're back making googly-eyes at the poof like nothing happens. Makes me want to heave." Spike explains, not fully detailing the whole truth.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about." Buffy denied.  
  
"Oh yeah sure." Spike comments with glee.  
  
"You're not his friend!" Spike continued, as he glared at Buffy. "You'll never ever think of him as your friend. You'll be in love with him until it kills you. You'll fight, shag and hate him until it makes you quiver, but you'll never be his friend. Love isn't brains, children," as he points to his head. " it's blood...[pointing to his chest] blood screaming inside you to work its will."  
  
Buffy would have none of it, but as Spike glanced at Angel, he knew that Angel understood. Angel understood because he was in love and he knew what love meant, he had seen it work its will on him when Cordy was almost dead all those times, and how much it made him want to scream and die because he couldn't help his beloved. He knew what love was. Unfortunately, Buffy was still perplexed, still in the dark with whatever Spike had to say.  
  
"*I* may be love's bitch, but at least *I'm* man enough to admit it." He concluded. Angel just bowed his head in acknowledgement.  
  
What he really meant was that although Angel knew what he was talking about, he still was a cowardly poof who wouldn't even say it to the slayer, to her face that he was in love with someone else. Instead, he kept stringing the slayer on like a puppy, who had no idea how crushed she would be. And then Spike left it at that.  
  
Buffy then tried to glance at Angel, but Angel couldn't look at her in the face because he knew that he would hurt her if she could only see his eyes.  
  
"Hmm!" Spike said suddenly, as he grabbed a bottle "Eye of rat." He just went about his business like nothing had happened at all.  
  
**********************  
  
"Xander?" Willow asked as she sits beside him on the bed. "Are you okay?"  
  
Xander had finally woken up. "Dizzy." Xander winces a little. "Kind of nauseous, too. Do I remember having a fight with Spike?"  
  
"You do." Willow answered.  
  
Xander then notices the caked on blood on the side of his face.  
  
"I won, right? Kicked his ass?" Xander asked with hope.  
  
"You were real brave. Do you need to barf?" Willow asked with concern.  
  
"No, I'll be okay." Xander then finally looks around to see that he has no idea where he is. "Where are we?"  
  
"The factory. We're locked in the basement." Willow explained.  
  
"That burnt-out place in the middle of nowhere?" Xander asked, realizing the hopelessness of the situation. " So we're pretty much in a 'scream all you want' scenario."  
  
"Pretty much." Willow admitted.  
  
"Why didn't he just kill us?" Xander asked.  
  
"He-he wants me to do a love spell." Willow. ~I hate the thought of love spells! Love spells just equals trouble.~  
  
"What?" Xander exclaimed, completely baffled.  
  
"Drusilla broke up with him." Willow explained more carefully.  
  
"Gee, and we had all hoped those crazy kids would make it work." Xander remarked sarcastically.  
  
"He's out of control. I mean, not that he was Joe Restraint in the old days." Willow remarked as she thought back Spike trying to come on to her/bite her.  
  
"So what are our options?" Xander asked, as he winces again in pain.  
  
"Well, I figure either... I refuse to do the spell and he kills us, or I do the spell and he kills us." Willow admitted.  
  
"Give me a third option." Xander declared. ~I need some hope here Willow!  
  
" He's so drunk he forgets about us, and we starve to death. That's sort of the best one." Willow deduces. ~It's also probably the most probable one, especially the way he was drinking tonght. Yeesh!~  
  
"Will, we're not gonna die." Xander assures her as he attempts to sit up, with Willow's help. " If he's so drunk, he'll get sloppy, and then I'll make my move." His attempts are futile, as they both collapse back in bed. "As long as my move doesn't involve standing  
  
up or using my limbs, we'll be okay."  
  
They fall really close together. Their faces are so near each other, their noses touch. They can feel the pull of their attraction bringing them together, but Willow hesistates.  
  
~Think about Oz!… oh God, think about Cordelia!~ She thought to herself. "We're not supposed to."  
  
"Exemption for impending death situation." Xander rationalizes as he is unable to surpress his feelings any longer.  
  
Willow can't fight her feelings as well, and they both close in for a kiss. The kiss was tender, Xander then lovingly reached for her to pull her closer to him as he lied back on the bed. She in turn responds and puts her arm around him. The moment was so sweet, gentle, perfect.  
  
************  
  
As Cordy and Oz walked in on Willow and Xander kissing tenderly, Cordy agonized in pain, and was unable to look at poor Oz, who was completely taken aback by the scene before.  
  
The colour drained from his face and he felt as thought his heart had stopped and broken in two. Here he was, scrambling to search for his dearest Willow and Xander, wondering, agonizing if anything bad had happened to her and here she was on the bed, passionately kissing Xander.  
  
As Cordy watched Oz's pained look, what happened next completely took her by surprise.  
  
FLASH!  
  
All of a sudden, the memories of that very moment flooded her mind as she began to feel all the feelings that she had felt all those years ago. Betrayal, Anger, Sadness, Heartbroken. It was as though she was seventeen again and the scene she saw before her was completely new.  
  
"Oh God." Cordy managed to speak, unable to move over the horror.  
  
Willow immediately gets off Xander and turns to see Cordelia and Oz staring back at them, with blank and hurt expressions.  
  
"Oh God." Xander exclaimed, realizing the situation.  
  
"Oh God, Oz…" Willow said painfully.  
  
"We've gotta get out of here." Oz replied with no emotion whatsoever.  
  
As Oz finished his sentence, Cordy, filled with all the emotions that she had once felt, started to run towards the stairs.  
  
"Cordy, I…"  
  
Before Xander could even finish his sentence, the stairs beneath Cordy gave in, and she suddenly fell through into the space below. As she fell, Cordy hit the pile of concrete and once more, a long rusty iron rebar had stabbed her in the side. Cordy just laid there, motionless as the others look down the space in horror.  
  
****************  
  
As Angel, Buffy and Spike were walking out of the magic shop, Angel stopped dead in his tracks. He felt a pang of pain like no other and knew there was something was wrong. "Cordy!"  
  
****************  
  
Chapter 11  
  
"What did you say Angel?" Buffy asked as she turned around to look at Angel.  
  
Spike gave him a look and knew there was something wrong. "It's nothing luv. He was probably just mumbling to himself." ~Why the hell did I call her luv?~  
  
"Whatever Spike." Buffy answered in a huff. "And don't call me love."  
  
Angel was still in his own world, as he still felt a pain on his side. He couldn't explain it but he knew that Cordy was in trouble. Then suddenly, he remembered the story Cordy once told him about how she had gotten the scar she had on her stomach. Something about finding Xander and Willow, and falling…~Oh my God, how could I have been so stupid! He thought to himself. His initial reaction was to run off right away to look for her but he couldn't. And it didn't help that Buffy and Spike were barking at each other like a married couple.  
  
"What's your hurry?" Spike asked.  
  
"My hurry is my intense desire to get you out of my life. You tend to cause trouble." Buffy replied, anxious to get this over with.  
  
"I'll be out of your life in a few short hours. No trouble at all." Spike agreed.  
  
~I've got to find a way to get to Cordy. Maybe I can go without them noticing…With them yelling at each other, and if there isn't any trouble…  
  
Angel spoke too soon, as suddenly they were confronted by a vampire.  
  
"Hello Spike." The vampire said, as a gang of vampires followed behind them.  
  
"No trouble at all." Buffy replied, as she saw the vampires in front of her. ~Why does Spike always get us into these things?!~  
  
"Lenny. How have you been?" Spike remarked.  
  
"Better since you left. You should have stayed gone." Lenny replied.  
  
"Is that right" Spike exclaimed, as he threw down the bag that he had in his hands and prepared to rumble.  
  
"You know, he was just leaving." Buffy answered, and then looked at Spike " Don't you start anything."  
  
"This pissant used to work for me." Spike explained.  
  
Buffy then looked at Angel. "The guys are in trouble. We can't risk this."  
  
Angel looked at her regrettably and said: "Look, I don't think we have a choice." More than anything, all he want to do was run off to Cordy's side and save her, but remembering the brawl that they were about to embark on, he knew he couldn't just leave Buffy and Spike to fend off for themselves.  
  
"You other two can walk away from this." Lenny offered.  
  
"I die, your chums die." Spike said as he looked at Buffy.  
  
"Sorry. We're staying." Buffy replied to Lenny with much reluctance.  
  
"Not for long!" Lenny declared as they began to fight.  
  
Buffy and Angel then threw their bags down as well started swinging and punching. All around, Spike, Buffy and Angel started throwing punches in the air, kicking and hurling vampires left and right. Although they were successful in throwing down their opponents for a time, they saw the gang surround them once more. They then decided to regroup and back themselves into the magic shop once more. Once inside, they slammed the door shut as the gang outside scramble to look for an entrance. Buffy then goes searching for any weapons, as Angel and Spike pushes one of the bookcases to lean against the front window. Buffy then proceeds to smash a chair, and grabs its legs as stakes. She throws one to both Spike and Angel as they all stood their ground, waiting for the bookcase to give and for their enemies to storm the shop.  
  
"This should be a kick." Spike declared.  
  
"I violently dislike you." Buffy managed to utter back in disgust as vampires started rolling in.  
  
*************************  
  
Xander was about to climb down the hole, when Willow forced him to go with Oz to go fetch help, while she offered to climb down the hole herself. Xander obliged since he didn't want to cross paths with Willow right at this moment. As the boys leave, Willow finally slowly made it down the hole, to be near Cordelia.  
  
"Don't move Cordy, okay? Xander and Oz are off to get help." Willow explained, as she tried her best to comfort her.  
  
"Angel…" Cordy whispered as she lied there motionless and in pain. "Angel…"  
  
"Don't worry Cordy." Willow assured her. "I'm sure Angel will be here and you'll be fine."  
  
Cordy gave her a weak smile and proceeded to think about Angel.  
  
****************************  
  
"Now that was fun." Spike declared, fully satisfied by the mass destruction they had caused.  
  
Buffy and Angel could only glare at him in disbelief at what he said. Just moments ago, they were on the brink of death, as Angel was trapped under a bookcase and the vampires were about the break through the front windows. If it wasn't for the shelf filled with Holy Water on hand, who knows what would have happened to them.  
  
"Oh, don't *tell* me that wasn't fun." Spike said, as he smiled brightly. " Oh, God! It's been so long since I had a decent spot of violence." He stops and ponders for a minute. "Really puts things in perspective."  
  
Angel still bends over in pain as Buffy tries to help him.  
  
"Oh yeah right you only think of him as a friend." Spike remarked coyly. If she only knew…  
  
"Could we just do the damn spell?" Buffy barked as she was finally out of patience.  
  
"Oh, sod the spell.Your friends are at the factory." Spike replied matter of factly.  
  
Buffy just glared at him and became ashamed of her own gullibility.  
  
"I'm really glad I came here, you know? I've been all wrongheaded about this. Weeping, crawling, blaming everybody else. I want Dru back, I've just gotta be the man I was." Spike concluded as he began to stand proudly "the man she loved. I'm gonna do what I shoulda done in the first place: I'll find her, wherever she is, tie her up, torture her until she likes me again."  
  
He then thought about him and Dru, and then Angel and the cheerleader. Spike then smiled. "Love's a funny thing."  
  
************************  
  
Xander had come back and the paramedics had arrived. As he stood close to her side, he looked at her with deep concern and regret.  
  
"Cordy… please hold on." He said softly.  
  
"Xander.."Cordy said weakly. "I can't see you…"  
  
She then turned her head and closed her eyes slowly, trying to think about the only thing in this world that mattered to her: Angel.  
  
**************************  
  
Angel was pacing back and forth within the mansion. With Cordy in the hospital at this very moment, he couldn't sit still, let alone think straight. But he had to remain calm for her sake and he had to wait a little longer as he had one more thing to do.  
  
Buffy then slowly appeared.  
  
"Hey. I was wondering when you were coming." Angel answered. He had been waiting for so long, and with him dying to go to the hospital, he didn't know how long it would take for Buffy to show.  
  
"I'm not coming back." Buffy blurted out suddenly.  
  
"We're not friends. We never were. And I can fool Giles, and I can fool my friends, but I can't fool myself. Or Spike, for some reason. What I want from you I can never have. You don't need me to take care of you anymore. So I'm gonna go." Buffy explained as clearly as she could, even though the words that came out wounded her deeply. But she had to face the facts. She had to face reality.  
  
"There's got to be some way to see each other." Angel offered, remembering the words he had once said to her.  
  
"There is: tell me that you don't love me." Buffy said.  
  
Angel knew there was no other way but to stand still and be silent. He knew that there was no way that he could ever tell her that he didn't love her anymore, since a part of him would always love her, but he couldn't bear to tell her the whole truth. Not only because it would change things in an enormous way, but he couldn't bear to make her more heartbroken than she already was. Instead, he just stood there and watched her slowly walk away.  
  
***************************  
  
"Cordy?" Xander called out as he knocked on Cordy's hospital door room. He had come with a bouquet of flowers in hand, ready to grovel wholeheartedly for her to forgive him. "Can I come in?"  
  
There was no response to his call, so he slowly opened the door. He gasped.  
  
As he peered into her room, he was confronted by flowers upon flowers, covering every inch of the room. There were flowers of all different shapes and sizes, with every colour imaginable. Xander was dumbfounded, as he had never seen so many flowers in one room in his entire life. This made him embarrassed about the paltry offering he had in hand. Then, as he scanned the room, he noticed a little card among the flowers. He focused his eyes on the card and read: "I'm sorry that these aren't plastic flowers, but I know these won't die off like that when they are beside you. I love you more than you'll ever know." He wondered who sent them as he noticed that there was no name. Probably it was some admirer at school, but he did find the message on the card pretty peculiar. He then refocused his attention to Cordy.  
  
"They wouldn't let me see you until now." Xander explained as he sat in a chair next to the bed.  
  
Cordy didn't say a word.  
  
"I brought you flowers." Xander continued as he motioned to the flowers, "But from the looks at it, you are enough flowers to last a lifetime."  
  
Cordy continued to stay silent.  
  
Uncomfortable with the silence, Xander continued to talk.  
  
"Look, Cordy, I want you to know that I..." Xander said seriously.  
  
"Xander?" Cordy finally spoke.  
  
"Yeah?" Xander answered as he was glad that she had finally said something.  
  
"I know that you are sorry and I won't lie to you that it doesn't still hurt what you did with Willow…" Cordy commenced. Even after three years, she realized now that it still hurt and those feelings would probably something she couldn't ever completely forget.  
  
"However, I don't want to be so angry that I can't feel anymore. Life is too short for us to keep grudges. I forgive you Xander and I forgive Willow. But I don't think we could ever be anything but friends now."  
  
"I understand Cordy." Xander nodded. He had regretted how much he had screwed up his relationship with Cordelia, but he realized that there was no way for them to go back to the way things used to be. However, he was thankful that Cordy was able to forgive him, even after all the horrid things that he had done. "Thank you for forgiving me." He then reached out his hand and held hers. Cordy gave him a little smile and he smiled back.  
  
*************************  
  
Later that night, Angel snucked in quietly into her room. Cordy was fast asleep, snoring quietly. Angel chuckled quietly at the sight. Even though she looked weak and was stuck in hospital clothing, he couldn't help but find her absolutely beautiful. As she continued to snore, he remembered that fateful night at the ballet when she was snoring and was asleep on his shoulder. He remember how happy he was sitting there watching her, even though she had drooled on his tux.  
  
He slowly sat down in the chair beside her bed and reached out to hold her hand. Suddenly Cordy's eyes fluttered as she opened them. She gave him a sweet, yet weak smile. "Angel."  
  
"I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner honey." Angel replied. "I just had to take care of something." He gave her a smile.  
  
"That's okay. Xander came to visit me before and we had a nice chat." Cordy answered. "Thank you for the flowers. They're beautiful."  
  
"You're welcome." Angel smiled some more as he moved closer to kiss her forehead. "Cordy, why didn't you tell me about this? You didn't have suffer like this again. We could have prevented this from ever happening."  
  
"Angel, you know what we said about changing the future. This happened before and so I knew I had to go through with it." Cordy explained. "I'm not gonna say that it doesn't hurt, but after that whole vision thing and the almost dying thing, this is a piece of cake." Cordy assured him, though she was still weak. "Anyways, this scar is a part of me. I have memories attached to it. Good and bad." Cordy then thought back to that unforgettable night at the ballet when they were kissing. She remembered how good it felt when Angel was kissing her tummy, kissing her scar, kissing everything. That was definitely a good memory. She looked at Angel, who knew exactly what she was thinking about. Cordy then tried to sit up, but Angel would have none of it.  
  
"Don't move, okay? Just lie still." Angel answered. "I just wanted to get a heads up at least. I didn't want you to go through this alone."  
  
"I know, but it was just easier for me to know that you wouldn't be worried about me." Cordy explained.  
  
"Cordy, don't you realize by now that I always worry about you?" Angel replied as he stroked her cheek.  
  
Cordy then gave another smile.  
  
"Can I do anything for you, honey?" Angel asked. "I will do anything for you. Just ask and I'll do it."  
  
"Just kiss me Angel." Cordy replied. "Lie beside me and stay here with me until I fall asleep, okay?"  
  
Angel smiled and gave her a sweet kiss. He then broke away, took off his coat, and slowly climbed onto the bed as Cordy moved to give him some space. He reached out his arms and pulled her close. Cordy just felt so safe nestled in his arms and they just laid there in silence, in perfect bliss. Angel just smiled to himself as he saw Cordy closing his eyes and had a dreamy look. Angel closed his eyes and allowed himself to fall asleep as well.  
  
**********  
  
Angel suddenly stirred from his sleep, completely dazed. As he opened his eyes, he was stunned at the sight before him: Buffy, Willow, Xander and Oz were all standing beside the bed, with Willow giving him a supportive look and Buffy and Xander in a stupor to say the least.  
  
************  
  
Chapter 12  
  
Buffy couldn't move. Her feet were frozen to the floor, unable to comprehend the scene before her. ~Angel is here…with Cordelia? I must be dreaming or something. Buffy then looked into Angel's eyes and what she saw just broke her heart.  
  
"I don't understand." Buffy managed to mutter. "Why are you here? Why are you in bed with Cordelia?"  
  
"Buffy, I can explain." Angel began, but he didn't know what to say. How could he really explain? 'I'm not the Angel that you knew, I come from the future and oh yeah, in the future, I'm not in love with you, I'm in love with Cordy.'  
  
"I don't think you can." Buffy replied as her eyes started to fill with tears. It was already hard enough to let him go but to see him right there, with Cordelia of all people. This was the worst nightmare and she wanted desperately to wake up from it.  
  
Cordy then began to stir and started to wake up. "Angel." Cordy sighed as she started to open her eyes. "I thought you would be gone by…" She opened her eyes and realized what had happened.  
  
Xander just stood there as well, though as he looked into Cordy's eyes, he could see it all.  
  
"So Angel was the one who sent you the flowers, right?" Xander asked, even though he already knew the answers.  
  
Buffy then looked around at the room for the first time and realized the presence of flowers. She as well has never seen so many flowers in her lifetime. Angel had never given her flowers like that. Angel never held her like that. Her stomach started to hurt, like she was just punched in the stomach. She wanted to vomit, to do anything so that she could feel something. But she couldn't.  
  
"Buffy…"Willow asked, as she tried to comfort her best friend. "It's okay… Angel has a good rea…"  
  
"You knew?" Buffy answered, as she back away from Willow. As if she didn't feel enough betrayal here, now all of a sudden her best friend was lying to her. "How could you have known all about this and never told me?"  
  
"Buffy, it wasn't her fault." Angel answered.  
  
"No." Buffy agreed. "It's yours. I thought you loved me and here you are… with Cordelia? What can you say that will make this all okay, huh? What the hell can you possibly say that can EXPLAIN why of all the possible places you could be, you are here?"  
  
Angel looked at Buffy and then looked back at Cordy. Cordy looked at him with concern, but she knew what they had to do. They had to tell the truth.  
  
***********************  
  
Before when she first saw Angel and Cordelia, she thought that she had seen everything, but as Angel and Cordelia started to tell their whole story, she became even more confused than ever, not knowing what to think or do.  
  
"And so here we are." Angel finished. "Now we are just waiting until Giles comes home from his retreat and maybe Giles would know how we can go home." Angel then looked at Cordy and then back at Buffy.  
  
"I'm so sorry Buffy." Angel added. "I didn't want to tell you about this because of what we were going through, but I didn't want you to find out like this."  
  
"What? Find what out?" Buffy responded, not willing to believe.  
  
"That we're from the future," Angel began again, "And…"  
  
"They're in love." Xander finished his sentence.  
  
Cordy just looked at Buffy the whole time and didn't know what to do. She had never thought that this secret would blow up like that, that it would have caused such a disaster. She wanted to say something to comfort Buffy, but she knew if she said a word, Buffy would rip her head off.  
  
"Buffy," Willow began, "It's true. They are really from the future."  
  
Buffy then slowly back away and sat down in a chair. The reality began to sink in as everything that had been bombarded towards her started to fit into place. It killed her to see Angel hold Cordelia's hand and look at Cordelia with such loving eyes… it reminded her of how he used to look at her. But she knew in her heart that all that Angel was saying was true. He wasn't the Angel that she loved.  
  
There was a terrible silence that filled the room as no one knew what to say.  
  
Oz had remained silent throughout the whole conversation. He hadn't forgiven Willow yet, but he had agreed to come with them because he thought it would be nice to visit Cordelia. But now that he knew the truth, inside he was glad. He saw how much Angel and Cordelia loved each other, even without saying a word and he was glad for the both of them that they had found love. This made him think of Willow. Willow. His Willow that had betrayed him. And even though it still hurt inside to think about what she had done with Xander, he also knew that the love that he felt, that he still feels for her was something that was hard to find. He knew it from looking at Angel and Cordy. And he knew that because love is so rare, he couldn't give up on Willow. He just couldn't.  
  
Xander was surprisingly calm. He thought to himself about how he would have reacted in normal circumstances. He would probably get into a fit and try to take on Angel by himself. And then get his ass kicked.  
  
But now, as the news started to sink in, and as he thought to his earlier conversation with Cordy, he realized that he was happy that Cordy had found happiness, even if it was with a vampire that he wasn't particularly fond of. However, it looked as if Angel treated her well, so he didn't have to worry about her. The person that he worried about was Buffy. He couldn't even imagine what she was feeling.  
  
The silence had become unbearable. No one was talking at all. Finally, someone decided to break the silence.  
  
"Angel?" Buffy finally spoke, her head still down.  
  
"Yes, Buffy?" Angel replied, relieved that she was even speaking to him at all.  
  
"How can we send you back home?" Buffy asked as she looked up into his eyes.  
  
***************************  
  
Buffy sat uncomfortably in her chair. She couldn't really sit still. She just hated to wait.  
  
Willow, Oz, Xander, Buffy, Angel and Cordelia were all in the library. They were all pacing, waiting anxiously for Giles to arrive. He had gotten home from his retreat last night, and he had called everyone to meet him there as he found out that everyone had figured out what had happened.  
  
Cordy had just gotten out of the hospital. Although she was feeling better now, and she didn't have to wear a bandage anymore, the side of her stomach was still sore and it hurt a little to sit. However, this experience was a lot more easier to take since Angel had been with her the entire way through. Sometimes she felt a little crowded with Angel always being very protective of her. However, all feelings of annoyance just faded away whenever Angel would hold her hand and gave her a smile. It made everything all better.  
  
Suddenly, Giles bursts into the library, completely out of breath.  
  
"Hello * huff, huff * everyone. I'm sorry that I'm late. I was just having trouble * huff, huff * with my car. It kept stalling." Giles answered.  
  
"Giles, have you found the portal?" Buffy asked quickly, hoping that they would finally have a solution to an already messed up situation. ~If I have to see him hold her hand for another day, I don't know what I'll do. She had been trying to be very mature about this whole thing, but it was just so hard. It had been a couple of weeks since she found out the truth, and although Angel had kept his distance from her, it was still hard. She knew that before she found out, she had wanted Angel to stay away from her, but now… it just wasn't the same.  
  
"Yes. Finally I have found it." Giles replied. "But Angel, I'll need to explain to you a little about this portal."  
  
"Go ahead." Angel answered, letting him have the floor.  
  
"This time portal is not exactly the most, how you say, reliable portal. It works perfectly well when it comes to taking one back to their present time, but when it comes to sending one back into the past, it doesn't always send you back to the same place. The portal works on emotions and memories so when you use it, it will automatically send you back to where you came from, "Giles explained. "I think you mentioned LA, and takes you to the original hot spot that you came from."  
  
"However, if you ever decide to go back into time again, it will send you randomly back to a point in the past, disregarding any hot spot on the other side. You will just get back anywhere." Giles continued.  
  
"Well, Giles, I don't think you'll have to worry about that." Angel replied. "As long as we don't run into Groo and he starts chanting again, I don't think we'll ever time travel again. I've had enough of time travel to last a lifetime… I guess for me, that's mean a very, VERY long time."  
  
Everyone then started to look at Angel and then at each other, completely baffled with what he said. ~Who the hell is Groo? ~  
  
"I've already figured out a hot spot where you two can open the portal, but you also need some kind of object to bind you together so that you two don't separate like the last time. But I haven't figure out what would hold you two together without transforming you into a freakish siam…" Giles explained.  
  
"Oh we know Giles." Cordy replied. "We have my car and that will be okay. We've used a portal before." She then smiled at Giles and walked over to him to give him a hug. "Thank you so much Giles. You've saved our lives."  
  
"Oh…" Giles responded, obviously bashful at Cordy's gesture. "It wasn't that difficult."  
  
"So where is this so-called hot spot?" Buffy asked, as she stood up, ready to leave. "Probably somewhere exotic and dark… well, we'd better get there soon. It might take a long time to get there."  
  
"Umm.. Buffy." Giles answered. "Not exactly…"  
  
**********************  
  
"This is the hotspot?" Buffy answered, not really believing what Giles was telling her. "This is just outside of the school."  
  
"I never told you that it would be a foreign place." Giles answered. "You were the one who insisted that it's exotic."  
  
"But… you are trying to tell me that this…" Buffy said, as she jumped up and down in place. "is a hotspot."  
  
"I'm afraid so." Giles answered.  
  
"That's pretty cool." Oz answered.  
  
"So, if I wanted to, I could go back in time?" Xander asked, as he tried to look at the chant that Angel was holding. "You know, I've always wanted to go b…"  
  
"Oh no Xander!" Willow exclaimed, as she pulled him away. "Don't you even think about it!"  
  
"Hey!" Xander answered. "I was just kidding!"  
  
Oz just looked at them, still hurt.  
  
"So I guess that's it." Angel exclaimed, as he looked at everyone. "Thanks guys for helping us and for understanding." He then shook Oz's, Xander's and Giles' hands and gave Willow a hug.  
  
He then turned to Buffy and stroked her face. "Buffy, I just want you to know that I loved you, and there is always going to be a part of me that will love you forever." He then gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.  
  
Buffy then was filled with a lot of emotion and tears started to fill her eyes. "How am I going to do when I see you again, with all that I know?"  
  
"Buffy, you won't remember anything." Giles answered. "None of us will. Once they go back, we will not know anything about their secret. We will remember everything except for the secret."  
  
Buffy then looked up with at Angel again. "Is there anything you can tell us about our future? I just need to know.."  
  
"You know I can't…" Angel sadly replied. "All you need to know is that you, all of you, will be safe and healthy. I have to go now." He broke away from her and walk to Cordy.  
  
Cordy then gave everyone a hug as well. As she hugged Xander, she whispered to him "I really meant when I said that I forgive you Xander. I'll miss you." She then gave him a smile.  
  
Xander then smiled back.  
  
As she hugged Buffy, she gave her a smile and said "Thank you for understanding. Goodbye Buffy."  
  
Cordy then walked back to Angel and got into the car with him. They gave their final wave goodbye as they settled in the car. The others all back away from the street, just in case they may get caught in the portal.  
  
"Angel, are you ready to go home?" Cordy asked as she held his hand.  
  
"More than ever." Angel replied softly.  
  
"Me too." Cordy answered back. "Let's go."  
  
"Okay…. Krpmpt bklptf difbmpt dflmpbmt…"Angel recited.  
  
The blinding light opened as Angel closed his eyes and droved into the light.  
  
WHOOSH!  
  
And then they were gone.  
  
********************************  
  
They opened their eyes. The car just dropped itself outside of Caritas.  
  
"Angel, are you okay?" Cordy asked. "We're not a weird Siamese twin right?"  
  
"No.."Angel smiled.  
  
"Angel, I can't believe that we're home!" Cordy sighed in relief, and gave him an excited hug. "We'll be able to see Fred, Wesley, Gunn and… Connor, our little guy!"  
  
"Oh god, Cordy." Angel said. "I can't wait." He then started the ignition and drove towards the hotel.  
  
**********************************  
  
They both burst in the hotel, hand in hand.  
  
"Fred? Wes? Gunn?" Angel asked as he looked around the lobby. "We're back!"  
  
Fred, Wes and Gunn all came out.  
  
Angel and Cordy then ran towards them and got them all into a group hug.  
  
"We've missed you guys so much!" They exclaimed with joy.  
  
The others just looked at them weirdly.  
  
" Yeah, umm… we missed you too. Did you guys get the groceries already?" Gunn asked. "We're really hungry!"  
  
"Groceries?" Cordy asked. "Oh we forgot… we.. um… ran into a demon and then we just went home."  
  
"Oh great!" Gunn groaned. "I'm so hungry! Well Fred, sweetie, do you want to go out and get some tacos?"  
  
"Oh yeah!" Fred answered, as she jumped over to Gunn and they both ran towards the door. "Bye guys!"  
  
"So how's Connor? Can I see him?" Angel asked.  
  
"Oh he's fine. He's just sleeping upstairs." Wes answered.  
  
"Oh good! We'll both go and see him." Cordy replied.  
  
They both ran up the stairs, so eager to see him.  
  
They both tiptoed into Angel's room and approached Connor's crib.  
  
"Oh hey little guy!" Angel whispered. "We missed you so much! But, your mommy and daddy will never, ever leave you again. Okay?"  
  
"Never, ever!" Cordy replied, and then cooed as she stroked Connor's cheek.  
  
"Everything is just perfect now Angel." Cordy replied "We can now just have our happy life toget…"  
  
"Cordy!"  
  
Xander suddenly came into the room and gave her a big hug.  
  
"Xander! What are you doing here?" Cordy asked, completely surprised by his appearance.  
  
"Oh, I just got here." Xander replied. "So how's Connor?"  
  
"Uh… Connor's fine." Angel replied, a little confused.  
  
"It must be awesome to be a dad. Probably the best feeling in the world." Xander remarked.  
  
"Yeah, it is." Angel replied.  
  
"I was always envious of you because of that…"Xander continued. "But I don't have to wonder anymore cuz I'll soon be feeling the exact same way as you are."  
  
"Really? So Anya's pregnant! I'm so happy for you!" Cordy exclaimed.  
  
"No… who's Anya? I'm talking about you and me." Xander replied.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Cordy asked.  
  
"Yeah, what are you talking about?" Angel added.  
  
"Oh you guys are such kidders! Acting like you don't know! Yeah that's real funny, pretending like you don't know that Cordy and I are having a baby!" Xander answered, as he rubbed Cordy's tummy.  
  
"I'm PREGNANT?!" Cordy gasped.  
  
End of Part II  
  
To be continued  
  
Note: This was going to be the last part of the fic, but Bluemoon73 made me realize the implication of Cordy appologizing to Xander and the fact that Anya wouldn't have come into their lives... I was like 'Uh oh...bluemoon's right.' So I thought that the end would put a twist on everything.. the original ending would have been Angel and Cordy in bed with Connor, but now you'll just have to see where I go with it....  
  
   
  
  
  
  


	3. The Portal part III (chapters 13-18)

   
  
RECAP OF CH. 7-12: Angel and Cordy continued to deceive the gang (except for Giles and Willow) about their relationship until Spike unknowingly caught a glimpse of them. As Willow and Xander got kidnapped by Spike, Cordy and Oz went to their rescue. Meanwhile, Buffy and Angel found Spike, who threatened not only to kill Willow and Xander if Willow didn't finish his love spell for Dru, but also threatened to tell Buffy about Angel and Cordy. Cordy and Oz then caught Willow and Xander in the act and Cordy, like the first time, got impaled by a rebar. Buffy says goodbye to Angel, Xander visits Cordy in the hospital and Cordy forgives him. Later, Angel visits Cordy and the whole gang catches them. Giles then finally finds them the chant for the portal and they return home only to find that Xander and Cordy are married and Cordy's pregnant.  
  
*****************    
  
Part III  
  
Chapter 13  
  
   
  
"We're having a baby?" Cordy asked, still reeling from the news.  
  
"We're having a baby!" Xander proclaimed with excitement, with his arms wide open and then grabbing Cordy for a tight hug.  
  
"You're having a baby." Angel exclaimed with no expression on his face at all.  
  
"We're having a baby?" Cordy asked again, not yet believing her ears. "How?"  
  
"Well Cordy, an egg comes out of one of the ovaries and then travels down the fallop…"Xander explained, pretending not to understand.  
  
"No Xander!" Cordy answered as she slaps him on the arm. "What I mean is how can I be having a baby when…"  
  
"….we've been so careful? Cordy, you know what the doctor said, not all birth control methods are 100% effective. Anyways, I thought you were happy about this." Xander asked, kinda of confused with Cordy's attitude.  
  
"Well… I am." Cordy lied. "I guess I'm still overwhelmed by all of this. Are you sure we can handle having a baby?"  
  
"Of course!" Xander replied, as he took both Cordy's hands. "We can handle anything together as Mr. and Mrs. Xander Harris."  
  
~Mrs. Cordelia Harris? Angel thought. The mere utter of those words just pierced into his chest like a knife.  
  
Cordy gasped.  
  
As she looked at her hands, she noticed something that she hadn't before. On her left hand, she saw a wedding band. It was modest and simple but it was as clear as daylight that what Xander had just said wasn't a lie.  
  
"Yes, of course." Cordy chuckled with insincerity. "Of course I can get through everything… with my… husband by my side." ~Xander, my husband?  
  
Xander just smiled.  
  
"And you know, in a few months, not only are we only husband and wife, we're going to be a mommy and daddy to the best boy or girl in the world, aren't we honey?" Xander said as he stroked Cordy's tummy again.  
  
"Umm hmm." Cordy answered as she gave him a little smile.  
  
"So Cordy, are you coming home with me?" Xander asked.  
  
"Home?" Cordy asked, dreading where home exactly was.  
  
"Yeah, it has been a long night with the gang all busy with the demon fighting and I'm * yawn * pretty beat myself. I've got to get up early tomorrow." Xander explained.  
  
"Xander, is it okay that I stay here for a little bit? I just want to say goodnight to Connor and talk to Angel just a little while. I'm not really tired yet." Cordy replied.  
  
"Yeah, okay. But don't stay for too long. I don't want you straining yourself in your condition." Xander answered and then gave her another smile. "It's not good for the baby."  
  
He then gave her a kiss and a long hug.  
  
"Bye Angel!" Xander cried out, as he left the room. "Take her home later okay? Dennis will probably be waiting for her."  
  
~Oh Thank God! Cordy thought to herself. At least she still had Dennis in her life.  
  
Then Xander shut the door and left.  
  
Cordy then turned towards Angel to look at his eyes, unable to think of any words to say to him.  
  
Angel felt the same way.  
  
**************************  
  
"So you're married, huh?" Angel asked. They were both lying on Angel's bed, and facing each other. Angel had reached out his hand to touch the band on Cordy's finger.  
  
"I guess so." Cordy said. "And from what Xander said, I also am carrying a bun in the oven too." She smiled weakly.  
  
"A baby…" Angel sighed. "That's really big Cordy."  
  
"And to think that we thought that things would be so simple once we got back home Angel." Cordy remarked. ~How naïve we were. "Angel, how did this happen? One minute we were going to have our happy ending, where we were just going to be together forever with Connor and now I'm not only married but I'm pregnant as well!"  
  
"I don't know…"Angel admitted. "Maybe something happened when we were in that time warp."  
  
"But Angel, we did everything we could to do to make everything happen the way they did… you almost got killed by Mrs. Post, I got punctured by a rebar…. I mean, what was the point of doing all of that if we were going to come home to this?"  
  
"Cordy, something must have went wrong." Angel explained. "Can you remember anything that you did that was sort of different from the first time?"  
  
"No…" Cordy replied. "I complained and bitched as much as usual, I caught Xander and Willow, I got stabbed, I went into the hospital and then Xander visi…oh God… that can't be it…"Cordy realized as her voice trailed.  
  
"What can't it be?" Angel asked as he wanted to know what she remembered.  
  
"I was… I was in the hospital, and then Xander came to visit me in the hospital. He was all apologetic and was ready to grovel…he was so anxious for me to talk to him….and the first time, I just didn't really look at him, and told him to never talk to me again… but when I saw him this time, I wasn't as mad as I was with him the first time because I knew what was going to happen… I kind of felt sorry for him this time and I just… I just thought that it would have been mature of me to just forgive him and start from scratch with him… but I never, I never thought that we'd get back together… I was so sure that I wouldn't ever have a relationship with him again." Cordy explained. "This is all my fault!"  
  
"Cordy, you don't know for sure." Angel began.  
  
"No Angel! It's my fault! It's my fault that we are stuck here in bizarro land and we can't… we can't be together. It's because of me that we can't have our life together." Cordy insisted as the tears began to form.  
  
"Cordy, listen to me." Angel said, he tried to wipe away her tears. "This wasn't your fault. It's not yours and it's not mine. We didn't choose to be sent back. But it happened and now here we are."  
  
"What do you mean?" Cordy asked, surprised by Angel's calmness.  
  
"I mean, what's done is done and we're here now so…" Angel explained.  
  
"So I'm supposed to stay married to Xander?" Cordy answered, completely baffled by Angel's logic. "Is that it?"  
  
"Cordy, Xander's a good guy. I mean, he can be stubborn and he overreacts a lot, but all in all he's a good guy. He's probably a really good husband to you in this world." Angel explained.  
  
"What are you trying to say Angel? That since Xander is a good guy, I should just keep being married to him, even though I love someone else?" Cordy asked, as she couldn't even believe what Angel was saying to her. "Is this your way of saying that you don't love me anymore?"  
  
"Cordy, how could you even think that?" Angel replied, as he looked deeply into her beautiful eyes. "Of course I love you. I love you so much it hurts."  
  
"Well if you love me so much, then why are you so quick to push me into another man's arms? Why do you keep on insisting that I keep on being Mrs. Alexander Harris?" Cordy demanded.  
  
~I can't even stand those words. "I just thought that… umm…I just…" Angel attempted to speak as he head was down.  
  
"What Angel what?" Cordy asked softly, as she lifted his head up with her finger.  
  
"You're having his baby, Cordy." Angel replied slowly. "You're going to have your own baby. Do you know how big that is? I know that you've always wanted to have kids Cordy…"  
  
"So? What does that have to do with…" Cordy answered, still not getting what he was talking about.  
  
"Well, now here's your chance. Here's your chance to have all those kids that you've been dreaming about…Xander can give you that. And if you stayed with me, I'd be robbing you of that gift. And I don't know if I could live with that." Angel explained.  
  
"Angel, that's not important to me." Cordy replied. "Yes, it'd be so wonderful to be able to make love to you, but it's doesn't matter to me if I can't be with you. So, I can't have your child Angel, that I regret, but don't you remember that we do have a child… we have Connor" Cordy continued. "Our sweet little guy. And even though I didn't give birth to him, I consider him my own flesh and blood…He's my son."  
  
"But…"Angel argued.  
  
"No buts here mister." Cordy answered as she put a finger up to his lips to stop him. "I want to be with you… no one else. This is my chance to take, my decision, and you can't stop me."  
  
Angel smiled.  
  
"You know how stubborn and hardheaded I can be when I want something." Cordy answered as she smiled back. "And I want you. I want to be with you."  
  
Angel then wrapped his arms around her and gave her a kiss and then broke away.  
  
"I don't know if that's possible in this world… you're carrying Xander's baby." Angel explained. "We have no idea what else is different about this world."  
  
"Then I guess we'll just have to find out, wont we?" Cordy answered.  
  
*****************************  
  
"Hey where's Fred and Gunn? I thought that they were supposed to be in the office a while ago." Cordy asked, as she entered Wes' office.  
  
"They are probably off having breakfast or making out somewhere." Wes answered, as Cordy walked into the office.  
  
"Umm… are you at all… bothered by this?" Cordy asked, trying to fish for answers.  
  
"No, not at all. Why wouldn't I be happy that my best friend has a girlfriend." Wes replied. "I'm mean who could resist such a beautiful, caring, sweet, delicate…"  
  
Cordy didn't have to listen to the rest. She was a little glad that Wes's love for Fred had remained unchanged, despite the fact that she was saddened that Wes was so hurt over Wes and Fred, but he wouldn't admit it.  
  
"Yeah, I get the picture." Cordy answered.  
  
Then Wesley went on with his work, as Cordy started pacing back and forth around the room.  
  
"Cordy," Wesley said, as he looked up to her. "Is there anything I can do for you?"  
  
"Who me? Oh no, I don't need anythi…"Cordy replied quickly, just as Angel walked in the room. "Oh Angel, you're here." As she pushed him in and quickly closed the door.  
  
Wesley completely confused with Cordy's odd behaviour then asked, "What are you doing?"  
  
"Wesley, we have something to tell you and I'm not really sure how you'll take it…" Cordy explained.  
  
"Oh Cordy…"Wesley replied. "I'm sure whatever you have to tell me isn't such a big deal."  
  
"Uh… I don't know… this is sort of big. " Cordy replied.  
  
*************************  
  
Then Cordy began to tell the tale. From the Groo debacle, to the swirly bright hole thingy, to the going into the past thing… everything. She wasn't sure how Wes was taking it since he didn't say a word since she started to talk. She tried to read the expression on his face but… nothing.  
  
"So that pretty much brings you up to date." Cordy finshed. "I know it sounds so unbelievable and crazy and you probably think that we're nuts but if you could…"  
  
"I believe you." Wes replied point blank.  
  
"You what?" Cordy exclaimed.  
  
"Cordy, I believe you." Wes replied again.  
  
"I'm sorry Wes, I'm just a little surprised that's all." Cordy admitted. "I mean, every time we've told our story, it takes them awhile to take it all in, nevertheless actually believe us."  
  
"I'm not like everybody." Wes answered. "Cordy, we've been through so much with each other, with apocalypses and demons and so on and so on. I mean, we're not like normal people. So no, the idea of time travel doesn't really surprise me."  
  
"So Wes, is there any way you can help us?"Angel asked.  
  
"I'll do my best." Wes answered.  
  
Then Angel looked at Cordy.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want to stay here, because Cordy, it could be a good li.."Angel asked again.  
  
"No. No Angel. I want to go home. Our home. A place where we can be together."Cordy replied, with all the faith in the world. "So Wes, do you know what we can do?" as she looked at Wes.  
  
"Well, without some further research, it's hard to say, but it seems to me that you two have to go back in time and rewrite it."Wes replied.  
  
"Oh that's easy. All we have to do is do the chant again,"Angel replied with relief, as he went to his leather coat to fetch the piece of paper that Giles gave them. "We just do the chant and then…and then…"  
  
"What's wrong?" Cordy asked, as she saw Angel's expression change.  
  
"It's gone." Angel replied.  
  
"It can't be gone." Cordy answered back, not believing him. "Are you sure that you didn't put it in your pants."  
  
"Cordy, it's GONE." Angel said, realizing the bind that they had gotten into.  
  
****************  
  
Chapter 14  
  
   
  
"It's got to be here!" Cordy declared. "It just has to be!" Cordy and Wes were frantically looking through Cordy's car, practically taking the car apart. Angel stayed behind in the hotel since it was still daylight.  
  
"Cordy, it's not here." Wes said calmly.  
  
"It has to be here! It just HAS to be!" Cordy exclaimed, not willing to stop searching.  
  
"Cordy, Cordy, CORDY!" Wes insisted, trying to pull her away from the car. "It's not here!"  
  
"But Wes, Wes, "as Cordy's eyes filled with tears. "How are we going to get home?" then Cordy put her arms around Wes for comfort.  
  
"It's gonna be okay." Wes assured her. "Everything's gonna be fine."  
  
********************  
  
As Angel saw Cordy and Wes come into the lobby, he knew that they weren't able to find the chant.   
  
"What's wrong with Cordy?" Fred asked, as she ran towards Cordy.  
  
"Oh I'll be fine." Cordy lied. "I'm just a little tired."  
  
"Are you sure?" Fred asked again.  
  
"She'll be fine." Wes assured her. "She can go and rest in my office. Uh Angel? Could I talk to you for a moment?"  
  
"Yeah sure." Angel replied, as all three of them walked into the office and shut the door.  
  
"We couldn't find it." Wes explained.  
  
"I know." Angel replied. "I guess it didn't go through the portal like that time in Pylea…"  
  
"…with the magic book." Wes finished his sentence.  
  
"Yeah." Angel answered, remembering the incident.   
  
"Wes," Cordy began to speak, looking up at him. "How did I end up marrying Xander?"  
  
"Well, from what I remember, when I first came to Sunnydale, you two had broken up. But you also remain friends. However, Xander asked you to prom and then you started seeing him again. You two were so inseparable that when you decided to go to LA to pursue your acting career, he went with you." Wes explained. " But when that didn't pan out, you and Xander accidentally met up with Angel, I think at a party if I remember it correctly and then with Doyle, you started Angel investigations. However, things started to go a little sour when Doyle started having feelings for you. And when he kissed you before he died, and gave you the visions, Xander realized how much you meant to him and proposed. And now you've been married for about 2 years now."  
  
Cordy sat there as she listened to Wes' retelling. It seemed so strange to her how much things were so different in this world, yet still remained the same. She kept thinking about her talk with Xander in the hospital and how that one single event changed the course of her life completely. She had only wanted to take pity on him. She had only wanted to make amends and make peace with him. She had remembered how bitter she had been after the breakup and how miserable she was. How could she have known that the bitterness and the hurt was supposed to happen. That all of the pain that had before leaving Sunnydale was a good thing since it led to better things. It led to Angel. It just didn't seem fair.  
  
"So Wes, what do you suggest we do now, since we don't have the chant for the portal?" Cordy asked.  
  
"Well, I think I will do some research for the chant while you two keep calm and pretend that nothing's wrong. I mean, we wouldn't want to alarm the others at this point." Wes explained. He looked at Cordy and tried to manage a smile. "Don't worry. I'll figure something out."  
  
"Thanks Wes." Cordy replied, as she offered a weak smile back.  
  
"Thank you too Wes." Angel replied as well.  
  
Cordy then walked over to Angel, put her arms around him and gave him a kiss. Then she broke away without saying a word, glanced back at him and walked out of the room.  
  
Wes looked at the whole scene and saw Angel's face falling.  
  
"You really love her don't you?" Wes asked.  
  
"I love her…"Angel answered simply. "Wes, can I ask you something?"  
  
"What?" Wes asked.  
  
"Did I… I mean, in this world, the Angel that you know… Did he love Cordy too?" Angel asked.  
  
"Yes…he would do anything to protect her." Wes responded.  
  
************************  
  
The past few days had been so unusual. It was odd enough being in the past and replaying everything that had happened, but Cordy never suspected that living in the present would be even harder.  
  
She wasn't used to being a wife. She wasn't used to doing all of those housewifey chores around the house, liking making the breakfast, taking care of the house and waiting up for Xander to come home from work. I mean, she was used to taking care of herself, but know being a 'wife', all of those things she had done before had a new burden. And she was used to living with someone because she had lived with Angel when they were stuck in the past. But this time, it was just different. All of those quirks that one was supposed to know about your husband were unknown to her so when he did anything out of the ordinary, it took her by surprise, while Xander just looked at her, wondering what was wrong. And the fact of the matter is, she didn't love him.  
  
She knew Xander was a great guy and she appreciated that he was so caring and affectionate, but she felt guilty every time he would kiss her, touch her, tried to intimate with her. It was so hard because every time Xander would do anything, Cordy would think about Angel. This made her feel even more guilty and sorry that she couldn't feel anything for her husband except for friendship.  
  
Cordy was sitting idly by the desk, staring into space when Fred appeared out of nowhere.   
  
"What are you daydreaming about?" Fred asked with a smile.  
  
"Oh nothing." Cordy said as she snapped back to reality.  
  
"Oh come on…you've got a look on your face." Fred insisted. "It must have been a nice dream."  
  
"I wasn't thinking about anything!" Cordy vowed.  
  
"No, I know that look! I get the same look on my face whenever I think of Charles. How brave, sweet, charming he is * sigh *" Fred said dreamily. "You probably think the same way about Xander, don't you?"  
  
"Yeah…" Cordy lied, as she watched Angel holding Connor, as he walked down the stairs to the lobby.  
  
"Isn't it wonderful to be in love! I mean…."Fred babbled.  
  
Cordy couldn't listen to a word that Fred was saying because she was so busy looking at Angel. As they locked eyes on each other, they looked at each other with such sadness because of the love that they felt but could never reveal.  
  
"Hey, is that a new necklace?" Fred asked.  
  
"What?" Cordy asked back.  
  
"Your locket silly! I've never seen it before." Fred explained.  
  
Cordy look down and there it was. The heart locket that Angel had given her. She smiled as she remembered.  
  
"Oh, I just bought it." Cordy said simply. As she looked at it again, it gave her a little hope that somehow they would get through this.  
  
"Hey." Angel said, as he approached them.  
  
"Yeah, hey." Fred replied. "How's Connor?" as she looked at the baby.  
  
"He's fine." Angel answered. "Do you want to hold him Fred?"  
  
"Sure!" Fred exclaimed happily as she carefully took Connor out of Angel's arms and started to pace around the room.  
  
As she left Cordy and Angel alone, Angel then whispered to her. "Are you okay?"  
  
"No. It's been driving me crazy." Cordy whispered back. "I mean, I really care for Xander, I really do, but I don't know how long I can take it living like this, away from you. And the morning sickness. Not good at all. I never knew how hard it was being pregnant. My mood is all over the place."  
  
"Just hang on a little longer." Angel urged as he reached out his hand to touch hers.  
  
"But Angel, I don't know if I can." Cordy admitted.   
  
"You have to!" Angel insisted.  
  
"I will. Only for you." Cordy assured him.  
  
Angel then grasped her hand a little harder and gave it a squeeze. Then, he just looked in her eyes and stared at her. He smiled.  
  
"Cordy?" Xander called out as he entered the hotel.  
  
Angel then immediately dropped Cordy's hand in a panic.  
  
"I'm here." Cordy cried out.  
  
"Oh! Hi honey!" Xander said happily as he gathered Cordy in his arms and gave her a kiss. "Guess what I got?"  
  
"What?" Cordy asked.  
  
"Look! Isn't it the cutest?" Xander then held up a little blue infant jammies. "I was going home from work, when I passed this baby store and I couldn't help think of Xander Jr."  
  
"We don't know if it's a boy yet." Cordy corrected him.  
  
"Well, if it's a girl, we can call it Cordy or even Alexandra! What do you think?"  
  
"Uh I don't know." Cordy said as she shook her head.  
  
"Oh it's alright. We have tons of time to figure the baby's name." Xander replied. "So Angel, what do think is a good name for the baby?"  
  
"I like Cordelia." Angel replied, as he gazed at Cordy. "It'll have a beautiful name just like her mother."  
  
"See?" Xander exclaimed, motioning to Cordy. "He likes the idea of Cordy Jr. too!"  
  
He then rubbed Cordy's arm affectionately as he continued to hold her.  
  
As Angel watched this, it became increasingly hard to look at until he just had to get up and walk away.  
  
Cordy just stood there helplessly as her beloved walked away and she was forced to continue to smile with Xander still holding her in his arms. All she wanted to do was to run out of Xander's arms and run to Angel, but she just continued to stand there, frozen.   
  
"Are you okay sweetie?" Xander asked as he looked at Cordy's distraught expression.  
  
"Is the morning sickness still getting to you?"  
  
"I'm feeling a little sick right now. But I'll be okay." Cordy replied trying to keep a pleasant disposition. ~ I mean, I just want to die right now, but I'll be fine. Oh Angel, is there any hope left? Do we even have a chance in hell to be toget…  
  
"EUREKA!" Wes cried out of nowhere. "I've found it!"  
  
****************  
  
Chapter 15  
  
   
  
Angel and Cordy literally wanted to jump at the thought. They quickly glanced at each other.  
  
"What are you talking about Wes?" Xander asked, perplexed by the sudden outburst.  
  
"What?…Uh…Oh…"Wes stammered, realizing what he done. "I just… um… figured out today's word jumble."  
  
"Wow…um hmm." Xander answered, as he whispered in Cordy's ear. "I guess some people get real excited over word jumbles."  
  
"Yeah." Cordy replied, but had a huge smile on her face.  
  
"What so funny?" Xander asked. "Why are you smiling like that?"  
  
"Oh nothing, I'm just suddenly happy I guess." Cordy replied simply, as she glanced over Xander's shoulder to see Angel smiling back at her.  
  
********************  
  
It wasn't until nightfall that Angel or Cordy even tried to approach Wesley. Fred and Gunn had gone on a date and Xander, after much persistence from Cordy, decided to go home earlier. Throughout the hotel, it was completely silent and there was no one left except for Wes, Angel and Cordy.  
  
"So Wes, have you really figured out how to get us home?" Cordy asked suddenly, unable to keep her silence any longer.  
  
"Yes Cordy, I've figured out a way to get you to two home." Wes replied, but then his face got all serious. "But, I must warn you two that this is somewhat risky and…"  
  
"I don't care Wes." Cordy retorted. "I don't think I can stay like this. If this is our only chance out of here, then I'll take it."  
  
"Are you sure Cordy?" Angel asked. "Because if it's risky and all, then we can…"  
  
"What? Angel, what?" Cordy asked. "Live our whole lives just basically giving each other quick glances from opposite sides of the room, having a stolen moment when no one's looking, basically trying to hide from what you and I both know in our hearts: that we love each other? I can't, I refuse to live like that." She then took Angel's hands in hers. "We have to take this chance Angel. It's our only hope, okay?"  
  
Angel just nodded, as he knew deep inside that she was right.   
  
Angel then turned his attention to Wes. "So can you explain to your plan?"  
  
"Well, first of all, I wasn't able to find that chant that you guys used the first time." Wes began. "I tried, I really did, but seems as if any trace of it had completely disappeared. Instead, I found an alternate spell. It is from a later time period, but it has the same capabilities as the other chant did, I believe."  
  
"How does it work Wes?" Cordy asked.  
  
"With this." Wes answered. He then held up a ring. It was an antique ring. The band was very detailed and intricate in design. Although at first glance you would think that the gem in the middle of it was a sapphire, at a closer inspection, one could see a whirlwind and a bright light to it, not unlike the portal that they had traveled in.  
  
"Where did you get this?" Cordy gasped. She had never seen anything like it.  
  
"I have my ways." Wes replied mysteriously. "Unlike the previous chant, you will need this ring to travel back through time as well as the words to the spell. I suggest you memorize the lines, so that we can avoid the mishap we had before."  
  
"Do we need something to bind us together?" Angel asked.  
  
"No, all you need is for one of you to wear the ring, then you hold hands, recite the spell and instantly you will be transported back through time." Wes explained. "However, this ring will not be able to send you back to the exact time and place you were previously."  
  
"Then how are we able to undo the damage we had done?" Angel asked, a little confused.  
  
"That's the beauty of these spells." Wes replied. "It doesn't matter where it takes you, because all you have to do is to go back, let time run its course as it once was, and everything will back to the way you remembered. From what I recall from your story, you had relived the fundamental events of the time until Cordy forgave Xander, right?"  
  
Cordy shook her head.  
  
"Well, this is exactly what you do now. The spell will automatically send you back to a random moment in time where you two once again will experience past events. However, you must relive the most significant moment of that period with everything happening in exactly the same way as you remembered before you will be able to, not only rewrite time again, but also go back to the present." Wes explains further. Unfortunately, this new spell has its drawbacks. First, without reliving the moment, you will never be able to go back to the present. You will stay there, completely trapped in the past. Secondly, unlike the old spell where you can come and go as you please, once the ring emulates its light, that will be your only chance. There is no replays. You either leave when the light goes or get stuck in the past once again. So what I suggest is this time around, be even more careful with what you say or do and be precise with the things that you do. It has to be surgical this time. You only have one shot at this. Last but not least, even after you have done all of this, you still can't be certain that everything will be fine until you've safety returned to the future. " Wes said sadly. " I know that there are so many restrictions this time, but…"  
  
"No, it's fine Wes. At least you have given us our chance. We have it now and we'll succeed." Cordy said firmly. She then went to hug Wes. "Thank you."  
  
Wes smiled.   
  
Angel then took his turn to give Wes a hug. "Thank you too."  
  
********************  
  
Angel and Cordy stood silently at the crib beside them. They watched as Connor was sleeping soundly.  
  
"Have you ever seen anything as beautiful as this?" Cordy asked as she lightly touched Connor's cheek.  
  
"Never." Angel replied.  
  
"Angel?" Cordy asked.  
  
"Yes, Cordy?" Angel answered.  
  
"You know, I would understand if you don't want to go back." Cordy exclaimed. "I mean, you have Connor and you're his father. I don't want you leaving all of this when you can be with your son."  
  
"Cordy, I want to go back." Angel replied reassuringly.   
  
"How can I not take the chance if I know that there is hope that somewhere, some time, we can live our life together with Connor as a family? Anyways, I'm never leaving you."  
  
Cordy smiled and gave him a kiss. She then turned back to the crib and whispered, "I'll miss you so much sweetie, but mommy and daddy have to leave you again. We don't want to but always remember that we love you so very much and we'll always be proud of our little boy." She then lightly kissed Connor on the cheek.  
  
"I love you so much my little guy. I promise you that someday we'll see each other again." Angel then kissed Connor goodbye.  
  
"Are you sure that we'll see our son again?" Cordy asked.  
  
"I promise." Angel replied as he pulled her closer to him.  
  
************************  
  
"Are you guys ready?" Wes replied as he saw Angel and Cordy walked down the stairs hand in hand.  
  
"We're ready." Angel answered. He then hugged Wes.  
  
"Please watch over Connor." Angel said.  
  
"I'll protect him with all of my life." Wes replied.  
  
Cordy then took her turn to hug Wes. "I'll never forget what you have done for us, Wes. I'll miss you." She then put on the ring. As it went on her finger, the ring shrunk so that it would fit perfectly around the contours of her finger.  
  
"I'll miss you too." Wes agreed. "Now remember, please be cautious and wary of what you do there and remember your purpose. And when the ring lights up, that is your cue to leave. Be careful. Angel, do you remember the words?"  
  
"Yes…"Angel replied, as he took Cordy's hands in his. "Are you ready?"  
  
"I've never been more ready in my life." Cordy replied with so much assurance.  
  
"And to think that we thought we would never time travel again." Angel said with a smile. "It's funny how life goes."  
  
"Yeah, isn't it?" Cordy agreed. "Now recite the lines, big guy, and get it over with."  
  
"Okay…dheortek utao…"Angel recited. As he said the words, the ring started to beam out a bright light. Cordy gasped. "okel noewatun!"  
  
The bright light that shone from the ring burst and completely surrounded them and once more, the light blinded the both of them.  
  
WHOOSH!  
  
***************************  
  
They finally opened their eyes. They were standing in the middle of the street as a car was about to approached them.  
  
"Oh God Angel!" Cordy screamed.  
  
Angel then grabbed Cordy, ran and jumped away from the oncoming traffic. They both landed with a thunk onto the grass beside the street.   
  
"Are you okay Cordy?" Angel asked as he was on top of her.  
  
"I'm fine. Nothing's broken, I think." Cordy answered.  
  
"Your long hair is back." Angel said happily as he touched the tendrils of her hair.  
  
"And you're even more paler than ever." Cordy said back mockingly.  
  
"Ha ha. That's real funny Cordy." Angel replied as he helped Cordy up. "So what day do you think it is?"  
  
"I don't know. It's the middle of the night Angel." Cordy answered. "There's no one around."  
  
Angel then searched through his pockets out of habit. He could have sworn that there was something in pocket. And then he managed to fish out of his pocket a key.  
  
"What's that key for?" Cordy asked.  
  
"Oh my gosh, this is the key to my apartment!" Angel answered. "I guess we went back a little further than the last time."  
  
"You know, I've never seen your apartment before." Cordy admitted.  
  
"It was okay." Angel replied. "So… I guess I should take you home now."  
  
"Angel," Cordy started as she put her arms around him again. "It's late. There is no one around. Can't I stay with you tonight?"  
  
"Cordy, I want to so much," Angel replied with a sigh. "But we have to be more careful this ti…"  
  
"Shussh." Cordy said as she put her finger to his lips. "I just want to stay over tonight. One night, Angel. And tomorrow, we'll figure everything out and we'll pretend again. But for tonight, can't we just be ourselves and forget everything else. I.. just want to be with you." She then looked up into his eyes with a pout.  
  
"Okay." Angel replied. "Just for tonight."   
  
***************************  
  
"So what do you think?" Angel asked.  
  
"It's a lot whiter than I expected." Cordy asked. "But it's nice."  
  
They were both lying in bed, just staring at each other.  
  
"You know how much I love just being here like this." Cordy said. "It makes me feel like nothing is any different. Like we're still in your room the night when you first told me you loved me and it felt like anything was possible. That tomorrow held so much promise."  
  
"It can still be that way Cordy." Angel replied, touching lovingly her arm. "There's always hope tomorrow."  
  
"I really hope so Angel. You know what I wish for?" Cordy asked.  
  
"Jude Law?" Angel answered teasingly.  
  
"No, besides that. Although that doesn't mean I'm waiting for that present someday." Cordy said, as sat up and now straddled Angel on the bed.  
  
"I don't know… maybe you should remind me." Angel said coyly.  
  
Cordy then dipped down to whisper in his ear. "I wish I had some Pop Rocks."  
  
Angel smiled.  
  
"Yeah, I miss those Pop Rocks too." Angel admitted. "I wish I had discovered them earlier… but you know, we can do other things."  
  
"What kind of things?" Cordy asked, very interested in what he had to say.  
  
"These things." Angel said, as he grabbed her face, reached himself up so that he could meet her lips and kissed her passionately.   
  
"Angel…I've missed you." Cordy said since she hadn't kissed him in a long time.  
  
"I've missed you too." Angel replied he pulled her down to him.  
  
********************  
  
Cordy felt a sense of relief and content as she still laid nestled in Angel's arms. She had missed being like this. It just felt so good and so right. She just held on tighter as she wanted to savour this moment for a little while longer. ~If only this could last forever…  
  
"Hi." Angel said as he opened his eyes and kissed her forehead.  
  
"Hi…"Cordy said. "I wish I could stay in bed forever."  
  
"Yeah, I know." Angel agreed. "But you know, we're gonna have to get up eventually."  
  
"No…" Cordy insisted. "I don't want to."  
  
* knock, knock *  
  
They both looked at each other in a panic.  
  
"Cordy, go hide!" Angel said in a whisper. "Go and hide in the bathroom and I'll answer the door, okay?"  
  
Cordy gave Angel a quick kiss and then ran as quickly in the bathroom.  
  
~Okay.. this is fine…we'll be okay. Angel thought to himself.  
  
"Hold on." Angel called out.  
  
He opened the door. There stood a worried Buffy.  
  
"Hey. Is everything okay?" Angel asked.  
  
"That's what I was gonna ask you. You're okay, right?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Sure. I..I'm fine." Angel answered, gesturing her to come in. "What's up?" He was still confused with the way that Buffy was acting.  
  
"Um... I-I had this... dream that Drusilla was alive." Buffy replied.  
  
With those words, the colour began to drain from Angel's face.  
  
***************  
  
Chapter 16  
  
   
  
As Buffy uttered those words. Angel had realized where in time the ring had brought them. However, he tried to retain his composure so that Buffy would not be able to notice that anything was wrong with him. He then looked down and noticed that he had no shirt on. He immediately felt self conscious and quickly pulled on a white t-shirt.  
  
"What happened?" Angel asked, wondering if his ears had deceived him.  
  
"Druscilla. She killed you. Right in front of me." Buffy explained, clearly frazzled.  
  
"It was just a dream. It wasn't real." Angel replied.  
  
"But it felt so real." Buffy answered back, her worry not subsiding.  
  
"It wasn't. I'm right here." Angel replied. As he said those words of comfort, he tried to focus and remind himself of the Angel he used to be. The Angel that loved Buffy. He then touched her cheek.  
  
"Angel, th-this happened before. The dreams that I had about the Master, they came true." Buffy argued.  
  
"Still, not every dream you have comes true." Angel replied. As he hear the words that he uttered, he couldn't help but think of Cordy and a thought of doubt entered his mind, wondering if the dream he had wanted with Cordy would ever come true. However, his head snapped back into focus once more to Buffy. "I mean, what else did you dream last night? Can you remember?"  
  
"I dreamt... I dreamt that Giles and I opened an office supply warehouse in Vegas." Buffy answered with a feeling of embarrassment.  
  
"See my point?" Angel replied.  
  
"Yeah, I-I do, but... what if Drusilla is alive? We never saw her body." Buffy retorted.  
  
"She's not." Angel lied, but tried to keep Buffy reassured. " But even if she was, we'd deal."  
  
"W-w-what if she is...  
  
Angel then impulsively grabbed her and kissed her. Partly just to distract her from her thoughts of Druscilla but also to convince her and himself that he loved her. He needed desperately to feel exactly how he felt all those years ago, or the act would never be successful.  
  
"What if what?" Angel asked.  
  
"I'm sorry. Were we talking?" Buffy whispered.  
  
Angel then once again leaned over to kiss her again. ~Focus, Angel, focus! You love this girl, remember? Try to remember the feelings that you once felt, or she'll never buy it.  
  
Then Buffy suddenly broke away.  
  
"I'm sorry. I, um... I-I have to go to school." Buffy explained quickly, trying to resist temptation.  
  
"I know." Angel replied.  
  
~Concentrate Angel…remember what you did.  
  
Then Angel impulsively took Buffy into his arms and started to kiss her passionately.  
  
"Oh, God, you feel..." Buffy moaned.  
  
As Buffy began to get lost in her emotions, Angel was struggling with another battle. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop thinking of Cordy. Every time his mind wandered to Cordy, he tried even harder to please Buffy and kissed her even harder.  
  
~ Just remember… this is for Cordy's sake…you have to start believing that you still love Buffy damnit! Angel then broke away and remembered what he had asked her that day.  
  
"You still haven't told me what you wanted for your birthday." Angel asked.  
  
"Surprise me." Buffy replied coyly and smiled.  
  
"I will." Angel replied as he attempted to smile back.  
  
Buffy then held Angel close to her. "This is nice. I like seeing you first thing in the   
  
morning."  
  
Angel tried not show that he wasn't uncomfortable at the suggestion.  
  
"It's bedtime for me." Angel replied. Yeah, he was tired after spending the whole night talking endlessly with Cordy, trying to savour the only moment they could have with each other. He hardly did get any sleep last night.  
  
"Well, then I like seeing you at bedtime." Buffy replied suggestively, as Angel tried not to squirm. " Um... Um, heh... Y-you know what I mean."  
  
"I think so. What do you mean?" Angel asked impulsively. ~Oh God, you don't want to know what it means!  
  
"I like seeing you. The part at the end of the night where we say good- bye... It's getting harder." Buffy explained shyly.  
  
"Yeah. It is." Angel replied as he tried to put himself into the mindset that his former self had. He remembered how hard it was to contain himself with Buffy. But now, it was getting harder to pretend, since in his heart, it was now Cordy that he found hard to resist.  
  
"Well…I better get to school then or I'll never make it to school." Buffy exclaimed, as she back away towards the door. "I'll see you later." With that, she softly kissed Angel, and walked out the door.  
  
As Angel closed the door and once he knew that Buffy was gone, he then let out a huge sigh of relief that the encounter was finally over and that he didn't have to pretend for much longer. It was hard encountering Buffy at seventeen when they were both hiding their feelings from each other and playing this game of 'will they or won't they?' but seeing Buffy at sixteen was even harder because Buffy was still open about their relationship and was anxious to take their relationship to the next level, even more naïve to the consequences that would lie ahead.  
  
"Is Buffy gone yet?" Cordy cried out from inside the bathroom.  
  
"Yeah, she's gone." Angel replied, anxious to see his beloved.  
  
Cordy slowly walked out of the bathroom. "I wasn't really sure if she really left because I stayed put this time and I didn't hear a thing. Well, maybe because I didn't really want to listen, and especially see what was going on. The last time, I saw way too much than I should have seen."  
  
"I'm sorry Cordy." Angel replied sadly. "I guess that's the price we pay for traveling back into the past. You encountered your past loves and those whom you used to love."  
  
Cordy then got closer to Angel and held him very tightly. "Are you sure you don't love Buffy anymore?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure. Now Cordy, I know this is the part that you hate the most, but I think you have to go to school." Angel added.  
  
"Oh God, school again!" Cordy groaned. "When does it ever end?"  
  
"When we get out of here. I promise. After this, you'll only be setting foot into a school for parent-teacher interviews, okay?"  
  
"Thank God! Now I got to sneak into my house to get a Queen C outfit together" Cordy sighed, and then she looked at Angel. "So, I guess this is when we go our separate ways."  
  
"Yeah…"Angel replied. ~Why didn't I see Cordy more often in the past? "We'll get through this together okay?"  
  
"Okay."Cordy answered. "Thank you for the best night Angel. It's definitely going to be awhile until I can kiss you like this.." with that she quickly pulled him closer and kissed him with all the passion she had in her heart.   
  
"I love you." Cordy said simply.  
  
"I love you." Angel said back.  
  
She then broke away from Angel, as she attempted to back away towards the door.   
  
Although she had made it to the door, Angel still held onto her hand as she pulled away. She looked at him. He looked back, knowing that she had to go now. Finally he slowly let go and she was gone.  
  
******************************  
  
Cordy, with much reluctance, walked towards her locker. From her body language, it seemed as if she was on a death march as her back was slightly hunch backed and she walked as slow as possible to delay the stop at the locker. Finally, she reached her old locker and opened it with a sigh.  
  
"So... Buffy's party." Xander said suddenly as he crept up behind her. Cordy slightly jumped at the sudden appearance of Xander. ~Buffy's party? So I guess she's having a party.   
  
"Buffy's party?" Cordy asked, then she mentally put herself in Queen C mode. "Well, just because she's Miss Save-The-World and everything, you have to make a big deal?" attempting to sound as much as her former self as possible. "I have to cook! And everything." ~Why did you say that? You know you don't cook!  
  
"You're cooking?" Xander exclaimed with much confusion.  
  
"Well… uh… I'm chips and dips girl." Cordy explained, trying to cover her tracks.  
  
" Horrors! All that opening and stirring." Xander teased.  
  
"And shopping and carrying." Cordy added.  
  
"Um, so, uh... You're going, and, and, and I'm going. Should... we maybe... go?" Xander suggested.  
  
"Why?" Cordy asked, with the most snotty tone she could imply.  
  
" I dunno. This... thing with us, despite our better judgment, it keeps happening. Maybe we should just admit that we're dating." Xander explained.  
  
~So we were having a thing at the time…Cordy thought to herself. I know this conversation is familiar, but I just can't put my finger on when…. But I do remember groping… I guess that's a start.  
  
"Groping in a broom closet isn't dating. You don't call it a date until the guy spends money." Cordy replied, still trying to keep up her rich bitch act up.  
  
"Fine. I'll spend, then we'll grope. Whatever. I just think it's some kind of whacked that we feel we have to hide it from all our friends." Xander explained.  
  
"Well, of course *you* wanna tell everybody. You have nothing to be ashamed of. I, on the other hand, have *everything* to be ashamed of." Although she knew that what she said would hurt Xander a lot, but she knew that it would exactly be the type of thing Cordelia would say.  
  
"You know what? 'Nuff said. Forget it. It must've been my multiple- personality guy talking. I call him Idiot Jed, glutton for punishment." Xander, clearly pissed, just turned his head and walked off.  
  
Cordy suddenly felt guilty for treating Xander so badly, but what could she do. She had to act up the rich bitch angle and milk it for all it's worth. I mean, the last time she felt sorry for Xander, she ended up married to him and having his child. ~You just have to stay tough here. Cordy thought to herself. You've got to do pull yourself together and not be weak. No weakness!   
  
Cordy then walked down the hall and saw Xander talking Giles. Since she didn't want to get into another fight with Xander, she snucked behind a couple of lockers and decided to eavesdrop on their conversation. Maybe it would help her figure out where in time she had exactly fell into. She knew the date, that's for sure, but she couldn't figure out what the significance of it was. It was on the tip of her tongue, but she she just couldn't remember it…. Maybe they could shed some life on the matter.  
  
"…Is everything in order for the party?" Giles asked Xander.  
  
"Absolutely. You ready to get down, you funky party weasel?" Xander asked.  
  
~Funky party weasel? Cordy thought. ~Not exactly the term to describe Giles.  
  
Then she saw Buffy and Jenny approaching them ~Jenny! Cordy gasped. It had been so long since she had seen her… It was way too errie to see someone when you know that they died.  
  
"Here comes Buffy." Giles said quickly. "Now remember: discretion is the better part of valor."  
  
"You coulda just said, 'shh!' God, are all you Brits such drama queens?" Xander exclaimed in frustration.  
  
~I can't believe that I actually agreed with Xander! Cordy thought to herself, as she remembered how rarely did she ever fully agree with Xander. ~Yeah, why do Brits keep making everything so complicated?  
  
"Buffy," Xander said, as Buffy got near him. " I feel a pre-birthday spanking coming on."  
  
~Birthday? Cordy asked herself. ~Oh my God! It's Buffy's birthday. As she began to put the pieces together, she realized that she wasn't dreaming. It was Buffy's birthday, but not only that, it was the birthday. THE birthday that would change everything.  
  
**********************  
  
It was very hard to continue going through the day as Cordy's mind kept being totally distracted with what she knew. Tomorrow was going to be Buffy's 17th Birthday. It was the day when the whole gang were supposed to make a surprise party for Buffy. However, things got all weird or something like that. But what plagued her mind was not that the party didn't go as expected. It was what happened after the party. From what she vaguely remembered, it was the night that Angel and Buffy couldn't resist each other anymore. It was the day that Angel made love to Buffy. It was the day he had gotten perfect happiness and turned back into Angelus.  
  
All of these thoughts just kept swarming through her mind, and although she wanted it to stop, for all of these things to stop plaguing her, it didn't help. All she could see was Buffy under Angel and the moaning and the…Oh God. She couldn't take it anymore.  
  
Once school ended, she ran immediately towards Angel's apartment. She didn't care about Xander, Buffy or anyone finding out about her and Angel. All she cared about was Angel and she desperately needed him now. More than ever.  
  
Cordy then frantically knocked the door. * knock, knock, knock *  
  
Angel opened the door and was clearly surprised by Cordy's presence. "Cordy, what are you doing here?"  
  
"I had to see you." Cordy replied, with a look of utter worry on her face.  
  
"But I thought that we agreed that this time we'd be careful. That we'd do things right this time and by the book, which means that we can't see each other and…"Angel exclaimed.  
  
"But that was before I knew!" Cordy blurted out. "It was before I knew it was Buffy's birthday!"  
  
Angel looked at her, knowing exactly what she was talking about and feared.  
  
"It's going to be okay." Angel answered calmly as he put his hands on Cordy's shoulders.  
  
"It's not going to be fine!" Cordy insisted. "In like less than 36 hours from now, not only will we be having Buffy's surprise birthday bash, but … but you and her…" She couldn't even say the words.  
  
"I know… I know." Angel replied with a sad tone.  
  
"Why did this stupid ring have to bring us back here, here out of any time period?" Cordy asked, as she angrily glared at the ring, wanting to rip the ring from her finger.  
  
"Cordy," Angel began, as he pulled her closer to him. "Everything is going to be okay. I promise."  
  
"How can you be so calm?" Cordy asked. "Don't you know what's going to happen to you? You're going to lose your soul!"  
  
"Cordy, you have to trust me…everything is going to be fine I mean, we've gotten this far. Cordy, I promise that I'll find a way." Angel replied as he held on to her now, kissing her head to comfort her.  
  
"But Angel…" Cordy whispered, as her head rested on his chest. "How can we…"  
  
"Cordy, I'll find a way." Angel replied, as he closed his eyes and the wheels began to turn in his head.  
  
**************  
  
Chapter 17  
  
The day had been gone by so very slowly for Cordy. The knowledge of what was going to happen was eating her up from the inside. Though the first time around she had only cared about what she wore and Xander keeping his hands off of her, this time, she was dreading the end of the day, as it was approaching quickly. She wanted so badly to wake up from this nightmare, to open her eyes and find herself safe at home with Angel and Connor, but every time she tried to pinch herself, to wake herself, she was still in the same place, with nothing changed at all.  
  
Though Cordy was feeling broken inside, she still made the greatest effort not to show any feelings of hopelessness, as she continued to rant and whine like the rich bitch of Sunnydale that everyone knew. No one could have ever suspected the incredible stress and anxiety that she really felt, knowing that her love would be making love to another.  
  
When Xander offered to take her to the Bronze that night to prepare for the party, she refused, using the excuse that she didn't want anyone to know about their relationship. The truth of the matter was that Cordy didn't know if she pull it through. All day she had wanted to cry and scream but then she thought of Angel and surpress the urge to cry.  
  
~Cordy, get ahold of yourself. You just have to get through this, that's all. Once you get all of this out of the way, then you can just have the best life with Angel Cordy rationalized. ~This was meant to happen Cordy. He was supposed to sleep with Buffy. It was how it panned out. But eventually he fell in love with you. That's all that matters.  
  
Though she tried her best to keep thinking positive about the whole thing, as she began to dress for the party, she couldn't help but have doubts about how Angel really felt about her, especially back in this time, where Buffy and Angel were madly in love with one another. ~ Could he be remembering all of those old feelings again?  
  
She then took a deep breath, exhaled, and left for the party.  
  
*****************  
  
Angel was definitely impatient to say the least. He had made it a priority to get to Buffy's party early and wait for the best moment to talk to Cordy. He needed her to know what he had figured out. But as the Scooby gang scrambled to get everything ready for Buffy's birthday celebration, he couldn't find Cordy anywhere.  
  
"Angel, could you help me put up the balloons?" Willow asked as Angel was looking around the room. "Don't worry." Willow assured him.  
  
"Huh?" Angel asked.  
  
"Buffy will be here. Jenny's gonna get here no matter what."Willow explained, thinking that Angel was looking for Buffy.  
  
"Yeah… Buffy." Angel asked, as Willow handed him some balloons. However, his attention wavered once more, as he finally saw Cordy arrive through the side door. If he had a heart, it would have skipped a beat . He just couldn't take his eyes off of Cordy. She walked in wearing a dark red halter style top and a black short skirt, with her long, flowing hair slightly pulled back, but still cascaded down her shoulders. She literally took his breath away and also made him wonder why he didn't notice the first time.  
  
Cordy also kept staring at Angel. Although he was dressed in his normal attire of a dark blue shirt, and his old reliable black leather jacket, he still looked beautiful to her. He would look beautiful forever.  
  
While anyone who would have bothered to notice Angel's and Cordy's eyes would have seen the sheer yearning and longing that existed between them, everyone was so preoccupied, no one was aware of it.  
  
"Angel… the balloons." Willow reminded him.  
  
"Yeah, the balloons." Angel replied, as he tried to do as Willow as she asked and tried to take his mind off of Cordy.  
  
Cordy took her eyes off Angel and looked around the room. She then saw Oz trying to help with the decorations. She walked over to him.  
  
"Hi Oz." Cordy said and waved at him.  
  
"Hi Cordelia. I didn't think you knew my name. It's nice to finally get to talk to you." Oz said as he offered his hand. "It's so weird that we've been going to the same school all this time, but we've never talked."  
  
"Yeah, I know." Cordy said, realizing the situation. "So this is your first date with Willow, right?"  
  
"Yeah." Oz replied. "So do you know when Buffy's getting here?"  
  
"I don't know." Cordy admitted.  
  
She then walked over to the corner of the room and just stood there. She would help but she then decided that it would be un-Queen C to lift a finger, so she just stood there and watched the craziness that was happening before him, the Scooby gang scrambling to get everything perfect for Buffy's party. As Cordy's mind started to wander, suddenly a hand grabbed her hand.  
  
Cordy let out a gasp.  
  
"Shhush." Angel whispered, and quickly pulled her away to a nearby storage room and shut the door.  
  
"Angel, what about the others?" Cordy asked. "Wouldn't they notice that we're not there?"  
  
"They're too busy." Angel replied. "Anyways, it's not like anybody out there really cares about us…I just… I just wanted to see you. I needed to see you." He then pulled her close and traced her face with his finger.  
  
"Oh God Angel!" Cordy whispered as she buried her head into his chest. "You have no idea how long this day has been. It's been total hell!"  
  
"Don't worry. It's all going to be over in a couple of hours. Just hang in there." Angel assured her as he rested his chin on her head.  
  
Cordy then pulled away to look up at his face. "But that's what I'm afraid of." She kept looking at his eyes and she just couldn't take it any longer.  
  
Angel then impulsively grabbed her face and kissed her passionately, as if he couldn't get enough of her. They just kept pawing and pulling at each other, Cordy pulling at Angel's shirt and Angel putting his hands under her top. They were insatiatable.  
  
Then Cordy suddenly pulled away. "Angel," Cordy said breathlessly. "really, what are we going to do? We can't just be cooped up in this storage room forever." Though she did have it as an option for a fleeting moment.   
  
Angel finally focused and looked lovingly at Cordy. "I've figured out a way, but you have to listen to me and…"  
  
"Cordelia?" Xander yelled out to interrupt them. "Where are you?"  
  
"Angel, I have to go." Cordy whispered. As she was about to leave, she pulled Angel in for another fervent kiss, and ran out of the room.  
  
"But Cordy…" Angel whispered, however it was too late. She left the storage room too quickly before he could tell her his plan.  
  
******************  
  
Willow, Oz, Xander, Giles and Cordy all were hiding under a pool table as they waited for Buffy to show. Although they'd had become all restless because Buffy was late, only Angel showed some stress waiting for her.(At least he pretended to)  
  
"Where is she?" Angel asked.  
  
The gang then peeped their heads above the pool table.  
  
"Shussh! I hear her coming." Willow whispered, wanting him to hide under the table as well.  
  
Angel could hear some noises of struggle from outside, probably Buffy fighting some demons. But he knew that Buffy could hand…  
  
CRASH!  
  
Out of nowhere, Buffy and a vampire came crashing through the window and hit the floor. Most of them stood up to look. The vampire then tried to get at Buffy but as he struggled, Buffy instinctly grabbed a drumstick from a drum set and staked him, reducing him to ashes, much to Oz's utter amazement. Suddenly, Cordy jumped up from behind the pool table, with her hands raised up high.  
  
"Surprise!" Cordy cried out.  
  
Although everyone one else gave her a strange look, Angel couldn't help but smile at Cordy's impulsive act. ~She's so cute!  
  
"That pretty much sums it up." Oz replied.  
  
Buffy then hopped off the stage.   
  
"Buffy are you okay?" Angel asked.  
  
"Yes. W-what happened?" Giles added.  
  
"Uh, there were these vamps outs..." Buffy explained, but her voice trailed as she noticed the decorations. " W-what's going on?"  
  
"Oh, um... A surprise party. "Giles replied, as he blew out a party favour.  
  
"Happy Birthday." Cordy exclaimed, trying to sound as sincere as possible ~It is her birthday. I mean, how is she going to know what is going to happen?  
  
Buffy began to smile. "You guys did all this for me?" She then looked at Angel. "That is so sweet."  
  
Cordy then tried not to cringe.  
  
"You sure you're okay?" Angel asked.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine." Buffy assured him.  
  
"Are you okay?" Willow asked Oz, feeling sorry for him for being exposed to the vampire thing on their first date.  
  
"Yeah. Hey, did everybody see that guy just turn to dust?" Oz asked.  
  
"Uh, well, uh... sort of." Willow admitted.  
  
Cordy was so preoccupied with looking at Buffy with Angel, she didn't even pat attention to the conversation that was going on.  
  
Then Jenny appeared carrying a long box.  
  
"Hey, can somebody give me a hand here?" Jenny said.  
  
Angel and Giles took the box from her and set it on the table.  
  
"Those creeps left this behind." Jenny explained.  
  
"What is it?' Buffy asked.  
  
Angel and Cordy quickly looked at each other as they knew exactly what was in it. They were too preoccupied by the other event, they had completely forgotten about the mystery box. But before they could warn anyone, Buffy opened the box and the arm grabbed her by the throat and began to choke her.  
  
************************  
  
Angel struggled to pull the arm off of Buffy, but when he did, he quickly stuffed it into the box once more, as Buffy struggled to breathe.  
  
"Well, clearly the Hellmouth's answer to 'what do you get the Slayer who has everything?' " Xander exclaimed.  
  
"Good heavens. Buffy, are you all right?" Giles asked with concern.  
  
"Man, that thing had major grip." Buffy noted, as her hands were still on her neck.  
  
"What was that?" Willow asked.  
  
"It looked like an arm." Oz replied.  
  
"It-it's a legend... way before my time... of a demon brought forth to rid the Earth of the plague of humanity... separate the righteous from the wicked... and to burn the righteous down. They call him the Judge." Angel explained, as the memories started to flood back to him.  
  
"The Judge? This is he?" Giles asked.  
  
"Not all of him." Angel clarified.  
  
"Um, still needing backstory here." Buffy said, still confused.  
  
"Um... He, he, he couldn't be killed, yes? Um, a-an army was sent against him. Most of them died... but, uh, finally they were able to dismember him, but, uh... not kill him." Giles explained.  
  
"The pieces were scattered... buried in every corner of the Earth." Angel continued.  
  
"So all these parts are being brought here." Jenny said, beginning to understand.  
  
"By Drusilla. The vamps outside were Spike's men." Buffy added.  
  
"She's just crazy enough to do it." Angel noted.  
  
"Do what, reassemble the Judge?" Willow asked.  
  
"And bring forth Armageddon." Angel finished.  
  
"Is anybody else gonna have cake?" Cordy asked out of the blue, just to reaffirm everyone's opinions of her being clueless.  
  
"We need to get this out of town." Giles declared.  
  
"Angel." Jenny said.  
  
"What?" Buffy asked.  
  
"You have to do it. You're the only one that can protect this thing." Jenny explained as she looked at Angel.  
  
"What about me?" Buffy offered.  
  
"What, you're just gonna skip town for a few months?" Jenny retorted.  
  
"'Months'?" Buffy exclaimed, realizing what it really entailed.  
  
"She's right. I gotta get this to the remotest region possible." Angel agreed, knowing where this conversation was getting to.  
  
"But that's not months." Buffy argued.  
  
"I gotta catch a cargo ship to Asia, maybe trek to Nepal..." Angel explained.  
  
"You know, those newfangled flying machines really are much safer than they used to be." Buffy said.  
  
"I can't fly. There's no sure way to guard against the daylight. I-I-I don't like this any more than you do, Buffy. But there's no other choice." Angel tried to explain again, playing his part.  
  
"When?" Buffy asked.  
  
"Tonight. As soon as possible." Angel answered.  
  
"But it's my birthday." Buffy retorted with a little bitterness.  
  
Angel looked down as he noticed Buffy's reaction.  
  
Jenny then walked over to them. "I'll drive you to the docks."  
  
Cordy just watched as she was helpless in what was happening. She wanted so badly to run to Angel, but she knew she couldn't. As Angel and Buffy started to leave, Cordy tried to contain her tears. Angel then sadly looked back at her, and gave her a glance. He tried to give her a reassuring glance ~I love you. Angel thought, as Buffy took his hand, and pulled her away. Cordy couldn't be consoled by Angel's last glance, since she was afraid that it would be the last time she'd ever lay eyes on him.  
  
****************  
  
Chapter 18  
  
   
  
Angel felt a twinge of awkwardness as Buffy held onto his arm, (as he held onto the box in the other) while they were walking to the boat. Obviously, he remembered how much he had been in love with her and how much she had meant to him, but somehow, all of this didn't really seem right. However, Buffy needed to believe that he was the old Angel, so he kissed her head as she leaned against him.  
  
"I should go the rest of the way alone." Angel declared, unable to take the uncomfortable situation.  
  
"Okay." Buffy replied.  
  
"But I'll be back. I will" Angel added.  
  
"When? Six months, a year? You don't know how long it's gonna take or if we'll even..." Buffy said softly as her head looked down in sadness.  
  
"If we'll even what?" Angel asked.  
  
Buffy looked up at him with tears streaming from her eyes. "Well, if you haven't noticed, someone pretty much always wants us dead."  
  
"Don't say that. We'll be fine." Angel assured her, although from what has happened in the last three years, Angel was so sure about that, but he needed for Buffy to remain strong.  
  
"We don't know that." Buffy answered back.  
  
"We can't know, Buffy. Nobody can. That's just the deal." Angel replied. He actually believed this. Although it was strange that he would know what was in the cards for Buffy in the next few years, who knows what would happen later, or if even things will happen the way that they should. A sense of fear swept over him suddenly, as he began to wonder if his and Cordy's future would be the way that it should or disaster would strike again. Then Angel snapped back to reality as he remembered what he was supposed to do at this very moment. It was something that he was struggling with ever since he knew what time period him and Cordy landed in, but in the end, he knew it had to happen and that it was crucial to ensuring that he and Cordy would have a chance at coming home. He then breathed in and took the leap.  
  
"I have something for you. For your birthday. I... I was gonna give it to you earlier, but..." Angel began, as he fetched a ring out of his pocket.  
  
"It's beautiful." Buffy declared.  
  
"My people -- before I was changed -- they exchanged this as a sign of devotion. It's a claddagh ring. The hands represent friendship, the crown represents loyalty... and the heart... Well, you know... Wear it with the heart pointing towards you. It means you belong to somebody. Like this." Angel explained. The words were very personal to him and he had to try hard not to become emotional over this. ~Angel, remember, this was the girl that you loved. At this moment, you did truly want to give this to her. You loved her. But that doesn't take away what you have with Cordy.  
  
He then showed his finger with a ring of its own. Buffy then took his hand and kissed it.  
  
Angel tried not to react as she kissed his hand.   
  
"Put it on." Angel said.  
  
Buffy slowly puts it on and then begin to sob again.  
  
"I don't want to do this." Buffy cried out.  
  
"Me either." Angel said. All he really wanted to do was run and find Cordy quickly and hold her in his arms, but he knew it wasn't possible.  
  
"So don't go." Buffy insisted. She then pulled him close and kissed him passionately.  
  
Angel broke away suddenly. "Buffy…I …" trying to explain.  
  
However, there was no time for any explanations, as two vampires appeared out of nowhere to attack them. One pulls Buffy away from Angel, while the other begins to fight Angel. As one of the vampires starts to swing at Buffy, she counteracts this by punching him in the stomach. Angel then flips the other and then punches him in the face. But as they are occupied, another vampire drops out of a cargo net nearby, takes the box and runs.  
  
"Angel! The box!" Buffy cried out.  
  
Angel then took off to get the box back by tackling the vampire down. Meanwhile, Buffy is still left to defend herself against the other two. Although she manages to kick one of them, he retaliates by punching her in the face. While Angel is busy trying to punch the vampire he had captured, the vampire that he was fighting off before grabs the box and makes a run for it. As Buffy tried to stop him, the other vampire suddenly picked her up and threw her into the water below. Angel sees this and panics.  
  
"Buffy!" he yelled. Angel then instinctly jumps over the railing and into to the water to save her.  
  
**************************  
  
"They should be back by now." Giles exclaimed. He, Willow and Xander were all pacing around the library, waiting for Buffy and Jenny to return.  
  
"Maybe Buffy needed a few minutes to pull herself together. Poor Buffy, on her birthday and everything." Willow suggested.  
  
"Hmm, it's sad, granted. But let's look at the upside for a moment." Xander replied. "I mean, what kind of a future would she've really had with him?" She's got 2 jobs -- Denny's waitress by day, Slayer by night -- and Angel's always in front of the TV with a big blood belly, and he's dreamin' of the glory days when Buffy still thought this whole creature of the night routine was a big turnon."  
  
"You've thought way too much about this." Willow observed, a little disturbed by Xander's comment.  
  
"No, no. That's just the beginning. Have I told you the part where I fly into town in my private jet and take Buffy out for prime rib?" Xander asked.  
  
"Xander…"Willow warned, since Buffy unexpectedly walks in, wearing a completely different outfit.  
  
"What happened?" Giles asked.  
  
"Dru's guys ambushed us. They got the box." Buffy explained, ready to get down to business.  
  
"Where's Jenny?" Giles noted.  
  
"Uh, she took Angel to get clothing…"Buffy replied.  
  
*************************  
  
Cordy was sitting alone in one of the empty classrooms. While Giles, Willow and Xander was in the library researching about the Judge, she quietly sneaked out of there, needing some time by herself. She couldn't sit in the library and think about Angel. They would have seen the expression on her face, the tears streaming down her face and would know that there was something wrong. She knew that she still had a duty to keep up the fascade. However, it was getting so hard that she just had to escape and find a place to breathe. She felt as if her whole world was closing in on her and there was no escape. As she sat there, reflecting on the past few days, she sort of wished that she had never agreed to Wes' plan in the first place, as she couldn't believe how naïve she was. All she thought about was Angel and their life together. She had no idea the cursed ring would send them back here, amid all this chaos. This chaos in particular since this would be the part of Angel's life that would be hardest to take: the fact that Angel would not only make love to Buffy, but that he would lose his soul again.  
  
As she was about to close her eyes and basically fall apart, she suddenly saw Angel by the door. She ran quickly to him. Angel then quickly closed the door and put his finger to his lips to motion to her to keep quiet.  
  
"Angel! I thought I'd never see you again!" Cordy whispered, putting her arms around him.  
  
"Cordy, I don't have much time." Angel replied. "I had to stall Jenny for a while, but I just had to see you."  
  
"You knew that I would be here waiting for you." Cordy whispered back.  
  
"Cordy, focus here. I need to tell you what to do now." Angel replied.  
  
"What Angel… I'll do anything." Cordy said.  
  
"So when I leave here with Buffy to Spike's factory, and all is said and done, I want you to take this ring." Angel said, as he took Cordy's hand, touching the ring. "wait for it to light up and leave."  
  
"What?" Cordy, not understanding it at all.  
  
"You heard me Cordy." Angel replied. " I want you to wait for the ring to light up, recite the chant and go."  
  
"Angel, you can't ask me to do that! Anything but that!" Cordy whispered.  
  
"Cordy, don't argue with me on this. You can't wait up for me. You have to go without me. It's the only way." Angel argued back.  
  
"Angel, how can I go without you?" Cordy replied, as the tears started to stream down her face. "You promised that we'd be together. You said that no matter what, we'd go through this together!"  
  
"But Cordy, you know what I have to do…"Angel said.  
  
"I know, you have to make love to Buffy…"Cordy said in disgust.  
  
"See? How can I go with you if I'm Angelus? There is no way that you can wait." Angel said.  
  
"I can and I will!" Cordy said.  
  
"No you can't! Once the moment is done, the ring lights up one time and only one time. Wes said it himself. We have only one chance and this is what you have to do."  
  
"Angel, this isn't fair! Do you know how hard it was to be here? To know that in a few hours, you are going to make love to Buffy? Do you know how much I wanted it to be me?" Cordy cried.  
  
Angel then pulled her into his arms and held on tight.  
  
"Cordy, I know, I know… but we have no choice on the matter." Angel replied softly.  
  
"Angel, you can't leave me like this!" Cordy cried.  
  
"Cordy, you know I'll never leave you… I'll always be with you. "Angel began, "But you know that this is our only hope. If everything works out as it should, we'll have our life back…."  
  
"But you don't know that for sure." Cordy said.  
  
"All I know is that we've come this far, so we have to take that chance…we have to have faith that no matter what happens, we'll end up together." Angel replied.  
  
"Angel…I…" Cordy whispered, still unsure about the whole thing.  
  
"I … have something for you." Angel whispered. He first unsnapped the locket necklace that he gave her, pulled off the claddagh ring he had on his finger, and put the ring on the chain as well.  
  
"Angel…you gave this ring to Buffy." Cordy observed.  
  
"I know… but I'm giving mine to you because I need you to know that I belong to you. You alone." Angel replied. "If you ever doubt it, just open the locket and read what it says inside."  
  
"Angel… ple…please don't leave me." Cordy pleaded.  
  
"Cordy, you have to be strong. Be strong for the both of us now." Angel replied, with tears starting to form in his eyes as well. "I love you with all of my heart Cordy and no matter what happens now, always know that I love you."  
  
Angel then pulled her in and kissed her and held onto her for dear life, and kissed her madly as if it was the last time, he then slowly pulled away, walking towards the door.   
  
"Cordy remember. When the ring lights up, just say the lines and go. I beg of you, just do this one thing for me. Please." Angel begged her.  
  
"Angel…I love you." Cordy whispered.   
  
And then he was gone.  
  
**********************  
  
As Angel made his way to the library, he quickly dried away his tears, hoping that his eyes weren't completely blood shot so that no would notice.  
  
"Sh-sh-sh." Giles whispered. He then motioned him into the office where Buffy was sound asleep with her head resting on a book. "Seems Buffy needed some rest."  
  
"Yeah. She hasn't been sleeping well. Tossing and turning." Angel replied, but then noticed that everyone was looking at him. " She told me. Because of her dreams?" Angel clarified.  
  
"Angel!" Buffy cried out suddenly.   
  
Angel runs to Buffy. "Buffy, it's okay. I'm here. I'm right here." Buffy then pulls him into her arms to hold on tight.  
  
"Buffy, what's happening?" Giles asked, as he is concerned with her.  
  
"She had another dream." Angel replied.  
  
"I think I know where Spike and Drusilla are. "Buffy explained.  
  
"That's very good, however, you, you do need a plan. I-I know you're concerned, Buffy, but you can't just go off half-cocked." Giles noted.  
  
"I have a plan. Angel and I go to the factory and do recon, figure out how far they've gotten assembling the Judge. You guys check any places the boxes could be coming into town. Shipping yards, airports, anything. We need to stop them from getting all the boxes in one place." Buffy explained.  
  
"Yes. Yes, well, um, actually, that's quite a good plan." Giles admitted.  
  
"This thing is nasty, and it's real, Giles. We can't wait for it to come get us." Buffy exclaimed. Buffy then takes her bag, and both her and Angel walk out the door.  
  
*********************  
  
Angel couldn't concentrate at all. Although he and Buffy had just snuck into Spike's factory, he couldn't think of anything but Cordy. ~Cordy, please, just do as I ask…  
  
"I saw this. The party." Buffy whispered, as Angel refocused again.  
  
However, they couldn't hide up there for long since the Judge could sense their presence.   
  
"What? What is it?" Spike asked, as he saw the Judge's expression.  
  
The Judge then looked up and saw both Angel and Buffy.  
  
"We gotta get out of here."Angel declared.  
  
They both try to make a run for it, but it was too late as vampires were flanked at either end and surrounded them. Then, they take both Buffy and Angel downstairs to be brought before Spike, Druscilla and the Judge. Although Angel was not taken aback by Spike's presence, he felt a little weird seeing Druscilla again as he remembered how much trouble she caused him later in life.  
  
"Well, well. Look what we have here. Crashers." Spike said.  
  
"I'm sure our invitations just got lost in the mail." Buffy replied.  
  
"It's delicious." Druscilla noted as she licked her fingers and walked over to Angel. "I only dreamed you'd come. Rrrr."  
  
"Leave her alone." Angel demanded, as he struggled under the grasp of Spike's men.  
  
"Yeah, that'll work. Now say 'pretty please'." Spike said with a satisfying smile.  
  
"The girl." The Judge noted.  
  
"Chilling, isn't it? She's so full of good intention." Druscilla exclaimed.  
  
"Take me!" Angel suddenly blurted out.  
  
"No!" Buffy cried out.  
  
"Take me instead of her!" Angel insisted.  
  
"Uh, you're not clear on the concept, pal. There is no instead. Just first and second." Spike explained.  
  
" And if you go first, you don't get to watch the Slayer die." Druscilla added, trying to clarify the situation even further.  
  
The Judge then reached for Buffy, as Angel's captors pull him back. Spike and Druscilla just watched happily as all of this was going on before them.  
  
"Don't touch him!" Angel cried out.  
  
Instead of touching him, Buffy kicks the Judge in the chest and knocks him back. Angel then breaks free of his captors. Buffy then runs towards Angel and notices that there is a hole in the floor.  
  
"This way!" Buffy directed.  
  
They both go through the hole and to the sewers below. Although Druscilla had ordered her henchmen to pursue them, they were able to lose them while going through the sewer tunnels. Finally they were able to find a ladder. Buffy went up the ladder first, opened up the manhole, and climbs out. Angel then climbs out himself, as rain was pouring down on them.   
  
"Come on. We need to get inside." Angel declared.  
  
Buffy and Angel then get to Angel's apartment. Angel opens the door, turns on the light and they both go in. Buffy closes the door behind them. Angel then takes off his leather jacket and puts it aside. Buffy just stands there, completely soaking wet.  
  
"You're shaking like a leaf." Angel said with concern.  
  
"Cold." Buffy said simply.  
  
"Let me get you something." Angel said. Although he was already feeling uneasy, he was still worried about her. He took out some clothes from the armoire nearby and hands them to her.  
  
"Put these on. Get under the covers, just to warm up." Angel declares.  
  
Buffy slowly walks over to Angel's bed and sits down. Angel then turns his head so that he couldn't see Buffy changing, however his head turns back as he heard Buffy groaning in pain.  
  
"What?" Angel asked.  
  
"Oh, um... It's okay. I just have a cut or something." Buffy replied.  
  
"Can I... Lemme see." Angel offered as he sat down beside her.  
  
"Okay." Buffy whispered.  
  
Angel gently looked at her back and then pulls her shirt down again.  
  
"It's already closed. You're fine."  
  
Buffy then leaned her head back and cuddled her face to him. Angel, although he was even more unnerving than ever, he still obliged her by putting his arms around her.  
  
************************  
  
Cordy was sitting outside of her house. It was completely quiet outside and it was pouring outside. But Cordy didn't care. All that she could do was to stare at the ring. Ever since Xander took her home, Cordy could only sit on the front steps of the porch and think about Angel. Sitting here, unable to go out to do anything about what was happening was killing her from the inside. All she could see was Buffy's arms around him, with Angel holding her as well. ~Stop thinking about them, Cordy! It's just gonna kill you! So Cordy just sat there and waited.  
  
*************************  
  
"You almost went away today." Buffy whispered.  
  
"We both did." Angel answered.  
  
"Angel..." Buffy said, as she began to cry " * sniffle * I feel like I lost you... You're right, though. We can't be sure of anything."  
  
Angel certainly knew that feeling.  
  
"Shhh. I..." Angel began.  
  
Buffy then turned to look at him.  
  
For a second there, Angel had wanted to tell her everything, but he knew he couldn't risk it.  
  
   
  
"I love you. I try not to, but I can't stop." Angel said instead.  
  
"Me, me, too. I can't either." Buffy answered back. She then moved in to kiss him, then Angel suddenly broke away.  
  
"Buffy, maybe we shouldn't..." Angel said, trying to stall, trying to convince her to stop.  
  
"Don't. Just kiss me." Buffy answered back, as she slowly moved him down towards the bed.  
  
*********************  
  
Cordy couldn't sit still anymore. She just couldn't. She started to stand and walk out towards the empty streets. Although it was raining pretty hard outside, she didn't give a damn. She just stood there, in the middle of the street as the rain fell down, soaking her clothes up. Cordy lifted her head up and closed her eyes. She needed to feel something, feel anything now, since the only thing she could feel was numb.  
  
*********************  
  
As Buffy laid underneath him and he was on top, he didn't know what to do. It was as if he was frozen.  
  
"Are you okay Angel?" Buffy asked. "Don't worry. I want to. I want you inside of me." Buffy then reached up to kiss his neck.  
  
Angel then flashed back…  
  
FLASH!  
  
    - I'm only alive when you're inside me…  
  
He needed to do this, no matter how much it felt wrong to him. Angel just took a breath and thought to himself ~You need to do this… If you don't, Cordy will never get out of here. This is for Cordy… "Cordy…" he whispered so softly as he kissed Buffy. Since he only muttered it under his breath, Buffy couldn't hear what he was saying.  
  
"Angel…"Buffy moaned, as Angel entered her.  
  
********************  
  
"Angel!" Cordy screamed out under the rain. "Angel!"  
  
She didn't know why she was even screaming at all. He couldn't hear her. Angel was making love to Buffy. She couldn't imagine the screams and the moans that would have been heard. Cordy then just started to cry endlessly, as she felt her heart being ripped to shreds and felt suddenly hollow.   
  
"Angel, how can you just leave me like this!" Cordy cried out. Cordy just started to scream endlessly just to take away the pain.   
  
********************  
  
Angel suddenly sat up from the bed. Lightning was striking outside. Buffy was sound asleep beside him. He couldn't breathe, as he gasped for air.  
  
"AHH!" Angel exclaimed in pain.  
  
He gets out from the bed and hurries off, unbeknownst to Buffy.  
  
*********************  
  
Cordy was just so tired and angry now. As she was about to pull the wretched ring off of her finger, the ring, out of nowhere, lit up with its bright light.  
  
Cordy gasped in shock.  
  
Angel had done it. Angel had done the deed.  
  
"What am I supposed to do?" Cordy cried out. "Am I supposed to just leave you here! I can't!"  
  
   
  
She then suddenly looked down and saw the locket and Angel's claddagh ring hanging from her neck.  
  
She slowly held it in her hands and opened it. "You make me feel alive."  
  
She then looked at the ring on her finger and knew exactly what to do.  
  
*************************  
  
Angel just ran out of the apartment, still gasping for air. He wanted to run, but he began to feel so weak, he couldn't even stand. Instead, he just stumbled onto the pavement outside, still crying out in pain.  
  
"CORDY!" he cried out. "CORDY!!" Although he kept on screaming out her name, no one could hear him at all.  
  
   
  
End of Part III  
  
To be continued… 


End file.
